A Dance Through Thyme
by flute-player56
Summary: There are no strangers here; only friends you haven't met. An unknown man sends Hermione back to the Marauder's Era as revenge, however, the consequences are far more disastrous than what even he imagines, when Hermione loses her memory of the past. Why did that man do this to her, and what secrets will be spilled? Who is the guilty party? Includes some Lily/James
1. Prologue

**This is a new idea that i'm working on. I know it's really, really short, but i'm wondering what you all think of it. If there is enough interest, i am willing to continue it :)**

**Please read and review!**

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><p><strong>Prologue: Gelegenheit gerne klopfen<strong>

"Yeah, I hear you...I'm coming! I just have to find the key."

Hermione Granger hauled herself out of bed, before stumbling over to her desk. She groped around, on and in it, before managing to find her keys in the Bermuda of a top drawer; however, her success was short-lived as she managed to tangle herself in her bathrobe.

She hopped across her flat, attempting to detangle herself, only to knock over part of her collection of herbs in pots. The smell of rosemary and thyme permeated the air as she finally made it to the front door, mentally cursing herself for having lost the keys in the first place.

She pushed the key into the lock and turned it, internally muttering ceasing the moment that she opened the door wide enough. A burly wizard was standing there, arms ramrod straight, wand pointing directly at her head.

His voice was gravelly and full of anger, but even through her fear, Hermione was able to detect what he must have thought was a sense of achievement.

"I told you that you would pay for what you did!"

With that, a bolt of brilliant light was ejected from the tip of his wand, hitting Hermione square in the face.

With that single blow, Hermione Granger knew no more.


	2. Chapter 1

**Was it worth the wait? Tell me what you think :)**

**Chapter 1: Panik  
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**Panic  
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A tiny, pinprick of light was visible just underneath Hermione's eyelids. She tried to grab at it with her mind, making it larger and larger. Every part of her body was aching, but at the same time, she felt rather content under the soft blankets.

"I don't remember doing anything to make me feel like I was run over by a bulldozer..." thought Hermione as she reached her hand out so that she could see the time.

However, instead of being able to pull her alarm clock closer to her, a warm hand enclosed itself around her wrist.

Hermione's eyes snapped open. Alert and full of apprehension, she tried to snatch her hand back under the covers.

"There's no need to panic, you're safe here," said a soft voice.

Hermione swivelled her head over to the direction of the voice.

A young woman was there, dressed in what Hermione supposed was an old-fashioned nurse's uniform. The woman was sitting close enough for Hermione to make out the neat stitches that bound the red cross to the starched white apron.

"Who are you?" she blurted out, almost unable to contain her panic as she tried to scramble out of the cocoon of sheets.

The woman waved her wand over the bed, and the covers snapped themselves back down onto the bed, successfully pinning Hermione down with them.

"You need to stay in bed, my dear. Can't have you overexerting yourself!"

"But, who are you?" cried Hermione, in an exasperated voice, still struggling to get away from the stranger.

"My name is Poppy Pomfrey, and I am the nurse here. Would you be able to tell me what your name is?"

Hermione took the chance to properly take in her surroundings; she was in a room with a lot of narrow beds. The kind one might find in a traditional hospital.

The woman seemed trustworthy, familiar even, but Hermione's mind was still raging a debate.

"My name is Hermione Granger," she said at last.

Poppy nodded encouragingly.

"Hermione, can you tell me how you got to Hogwarts?"

"What do you mean?" replied Hermione, fear rising up within her once more as more information of recognition was trickling through her brain, "How could I be at Hogwarts? I have no reason to be here. I've already graduated."

Poppy blinked in surprise.

"You couldn't have! We have no records for you. What year do you think you finished in?"

Even though Hermione's head was clouded in a haze of headache, she was absolutely certain of her answer.

"It was last year, 1999."

Poppy's eyes all but bulged out of their sockets and, for a second, Hermione thought that the young woman might keel over in shock.

"It's not possible!" she squeaked.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

Poppy's mouth opened and closed a few times, no sound issuing forth.

"I..I... I don't know what to say..."

Hermione was getting rather annoyed with this so-called Poppy.

"I finished my seventh year last year, the year 1999. It is now the year 2000. Simple."

Finally Poppy spoke once more, but this time it seemed as though she were speaking only to herself.

"1999...jinx to the head...Dumbledore will know..."

Hermione's hearing snagged onto the last name, and it was almost as though another part of her memory was unlatched.

"Dumbledore? He died... how could he possibly help?"

This, by far, must have been the worst thing for Poppy to hear from Hermione because she sat back down in her seat, clutching at her heart and gaping at Hermione.

"I don't know where you've been getting your information from my dear, but I can assure you that Albus Dumbledore is not dead."

'This woman is crazy,' thought Hermione as she attempted to wriggle her way out of the sheets once more.

Poppy absentmindedly waved her wand, and the sheet compressed Hermione into the bed once more.

"Wait here," was all that she said before sweeping out of the room.

Despite all the wriggling, Hermione was not able to free herself from the bed, and from her position, only being able to see the ceiling; she resigned herself to waiting for Poppy to return.

Several minutes later, Hermione heard the doors at the end of the ward open, and Poppy returned, deep in conversation with none other than Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione gasped. It couldn't be!

The white-haired man sat on the edge of her bed while Poppy loosed the sheets just enough so that Hermione could sit up in the bed, and remain in some kind of dignified position while she spoke to the Headmaster.

"Hello, Hermione," he said in a friendly tone. "Madam Pomfrey here tells me that you graduated from Hogwarts in 1999. What else could you tell me?"

With that one question, Hermione was stumped. She tried to tell them about herself, but found that the answers were not coming to her. As much as she wanted to, when she opened her mouth, she could only close it again. There was nothing that she could say.

It was like all of her knowledge of herself had been blocked off in some impenetrable part of her mind. All her memories, locked away in some glass orb. She knew that they were there, but she could not get to them.

She knew that she had been a student at Hogwarts and that she finished her seventh year 1999. She knew that her name was Hermione Granger. But that was all she knew.

"Let's start with something easy," said Dumbledore, "How did you get here this morning?"

Hermione stared at him with a blank expression.

"I don't know, sir."

Dumbledore sighed, but rubbed a hand thoughtfully through his beard.

"I'm going to tell you something, Hermione, and I don't want you to get upset in any way."

"What do you..."

But Dumbledore raised a hand to silence to her.

"You are currently in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and the year is 1977. There are only two explanations that I think are likely. It is possible that what you are experiencing is the after-effects of a spell; or it may be that you have time-travelled."

As Dumbledore spoke, Hermione stopped trying to resist against the bed-sheets. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that Poppy had stopped nodding at what the Headmaster was saying, and she was presently sitting back in her chair, mouth hanging wide open.

"We would like to keep you here, at the castle, for observation. We don't want you to be leaving in ill health. In the meantime, we will try to determine the cause."

Hermione sat motionless as Dumbledore patted the hand that lay next to her on the bed.

"Make sure you don't overexert yourself," he said as he left the room, shoes clicking softly against the stone floor.

Poppy made a fast reappearance next to Hermione, complete with a vial of bright purple potion.

"Drink this," she said kindly. "It'll help with the aches and let you get back to sleep."

Hermione looked up at her warily, not sure what to think after all the accusations that these people had thrown at her. Time-travel indeed!

"I promise we will discuss everything when you wake up."

Hermione took the potion, balancing the vial between her thumb and forefinger almost as though it may contaminate her, swallowing it with a minimum of grimacing and disgusted facial expressions.

She let her head fall back against the soft pillows, allowing sleep to overtake her presently overworked mind, full of fear and uncertainty.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:****Steinerne Wasserspeier**

**Stone Gargoyles**

"You underestimate me Poppy. I was just about to use my wand."

"Mister Potter, you must call me Madame Pomfrey, now go and sit on that spare bed over there. I can deal with this on my own."

Although Hermione was waking up from what she had felt to be a deep sleep, the voices were remarkably clear. Who was this Mr Potter that had suddenly appeared?

"No need to get your knickers in a twist, Poppy. I can get into the bed myself."

Hermione could now hear three voices: the female one was obviously Poppy, but who was that with Mr Potter? Each of them sounded incredibly familiar, but she could not place where she knew them from.

"Oh not you too!" cried Madame Pomfrey in exasperation.

"Neither of us were injured by the...mishap," said the second male voice. "Now if you would be kind enough to open the door and let us – well, hello. Poppy, where are your manners? Why haven't you introduced us to the lovely young woman over there?"

"Now don't you go bothering her, she's not well. Stop making so much noise, you'll disturb half the portraits in the castle. Honestly, get back into bed!"

Hermione heard two thumps as the boy's bodies fell back onto the mattresses. This was followed by the sound of bedcovers being forced over their struggling masses.

"I'll be back in a minute," said a now breathless Madame Pomfrey.

Hermione listened to the gentle clicks of her footsteps retreating. Opening her eyelid just a crack, she peered out to the room through her eyelashes.

In the dim light of the candles by each bedside, she was just able to make out two lumps on the beds opposite hers. She supposed that these were the forms of Mr Potter and his friend.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm using the time to take a nap," said the friend.

"What for? It's only five in the afternoon. If Poppy lets us out, we'll have to be getting to dinner soon."

"I'll nick something from the kitchens later, I'm tired now. I didn't get enough sleep last night."

The one called Potter let out a snort.

"You're tired, Sirius, because you spent half the night with Marlene. Don't think I didn't hear her sneak in last night."

"What's it to you? Now, please be quiet, I need my beauty sleep."

Hermione heard the second boy, Sirius, thump his pillow into shape before lying down on it.

Gently, Hermione rolled herself over in her own bed, trying to make it appear as natural as possible, but really she only wanted to get a better look at the situation opposite her.

One of the boys – Potter, she supposed – was lounging on the bed, a bored look evident on his face. Observing from a safe distance, Hermione watched as he peered through the window occasionally. He pretended to have a sword fight in mid-air with an invisible opponent, actually making sparks appear at one point with his wand.

It was then that Hermione decided that she might let her consciousness be known. She made her movements in the bed a little more deliberate, making it seem like she was stretching herself awake.

Potter looked over, peering curiously at the girl in the bed opposite.

"Oh, you're awake," he said to her, "Should I be letting Poppy know?"

Hermione discreetly tried to smooth down her hair and make herself look even a little more presentable whilst nodding mutely at the boy.

He immediately took the chance to get out of bed, and bound over to where Poppy seemed to be.

In what seemed like no time at all, Poppy Pomfrey was gliding back into the room, with Potter never lingering too far away much to her annoyance.

"Hermione! You actually are awake," she said before turning to the boy named Potter, seemingly surprised that he had told the truth.

"Potter, you may go back to your bed. Why don't you follow the example that Sirius has set and get some sleep?"

Potter opened his mouth ready to protest, however Poppy cut him off rather quickly.

"Go back to the bed, Potter," she said in a firm voice that elicited no further arguments from him.

Hermione watched him turn around and march himself back over to the opposite end of the room, next to his sleeping friend. He sat on the bad, arms crossed over his chest, watching exchange between Poppy and Hermione.

"Now, are you experiencing any pain anywhere? Any headaches?"

"No," she replied shaking her head.

"Ok, then," replied Poppy. I've been given strict orders by Dumbledore to send you up to his office as soon as possible."

She chanced a look over at Potter as she said this, her eyes narrowing as they scrutinised him.

"I am not actually allowed to leave the Hospital Wing leaving patients unattended," she said, eyes never leaving Potter. "So I forced to have to ask Mr Potter here to escort you seeing as he appears to be in a rude state of good health."

Hermione looked over from Poppy to the boy named Potter, a look of indifference settling upon her face.

"Ok," she said with a shrug. "When can I leave? I would like to have this all settled out as soon as possible."

Poppy nodded, looking at Hermione with sympathy.

"Make sure you come back, Potter, to collect Mr Black," Poppy replied in a stern voice as she handed Hermione a set of freshly laundered robes.

Pulling the screens around Hermione so that she could get dressed with some privacy, Poppy Pomfrey rounded on Potter, speaking in a rapid and low tone.

"You are not to tell anyone that you saw this girl, do you understand? Not a soul. Those are Professor Dumbledore's orders as well as my own. When you take her to Professor Dumbledore's office, you are not to let anyone see her. You will come straight back here and collect Mr Black. I repeat: Do not let anyone see you, and do not let any person know of her existence. Do I make myself clear?"

Though he was a prankster at heart, Potter knew when he had to take someone seriously.

"Yes, m'am."

Satisfied that his answer was legitimate, Poppy turned on her heel and proceeded to check on Hermione, asking of she needed any help. In response, Hermione's body appeared from the side of the screen, neatly dressed and hair braided out of the way.

"Thank you, Poppy," she said rather timidly as she suddenly became very aware of Potter's eyes on her. "I guess I'll be going then."

"Goodbye, Hermione," replied Poppy placing a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. "Good luck."

Again feeling shy, she looked over at Potter, eyes questioning. He immediately broke the eye contact that ensued.

"I'll take her to Dumbledore's office. I'll be back in a few minutes," he said in a voice that was unusually quiet for him, simultaneously motioning for Hermione to follow him out.

He was thankful that it was dinnertime and there were not many people about the corridors. It would not take much effort for him to get them through the corridor unnoticed.

"I heard Poppy say your name was Hermione. I'm James, by the way."

He held his hand out for Hermione to shake as they walked along.

Hermione took it tentatively. If what Dumbledore had said earlier was correct, and she had travelled in time, she would have to be careful not to do anything to drastic.

The only problem with that was, she could barely remember the 'future'. She had no clue as to whether what she was doing was correct. Perhaps she was setting herself up for some big catastrophe when she got back to her time. _If_ she got back, that was.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she did not notice that they had already reached the stone gargoyles.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Hermione. Maybe we'll get to see each other again someday?"

"Sure," replied Hermione with a small smile, playing along, not wanting to give away too much information.

James hesitated for a moment.

"I don't know what the password is at the moment, and Dumbledore doesn't really have a doorbell..."

"It's ok," Hermione cut him off. "Poppy told me the password. She also told me not to give it to you."

James pouted slightly before tilting his head forward allowing his hands much better access to his head. He ran them through his hair a few times, messing up the already untidy mop of black.

"I guess I'll leave you to it, then...bye," he said walking off back towards the hospital wing.

Hermione watched his retreating figure for a few seconds. She had the strongest feeling that she knew him from somewhere, but she couldn't place exactly where she would have known him from.

He would have had to have been an adult in her time, perhaps with children of his own. Could she have known him?

Shaking her head and squaring her shoulders, she gave the password.

"Cockroach Clusters."

_**Don't forget to leave a review, and tell me what you think :)**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Thank you for being patient with me and my lack of updates. They will be reasonably infrequent for the next month and a half, after which I will be on holidays and free to write whenever I want. In the meantime, I've made this chapter a little longer than my normal ones, so hopefully that makes up for it.**_

**Chapter 3****: ****Bedürfnis**

**Necessity**

Placing her feet firmly on the stone stairs, Hermione waited for them to take her up to the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore had seemed kind enough when he had spoken to her earlier, and she could have sworn she had dim memories of a man with long silver hair, and high-heeled boots.

The stairs glided to a halt and Hermione stood still, facing the heavy wooden doors of Dumbledore's office. Reaching out with a shaking hand, Hermione touched the wood with her bare hand. She was only able to feel its warmth for a fleeting second before it began to move away as it opened and allowed the Headmaster's office to come into her view.

"Welcome, Hermione. Please come in and take a seat. Would you care for a Lemon Drop?"

Feeling suddenly overwhelmed by the recent turn of events, Hermione meekly obeyed, setting herself upon the very edge of a blue chintz chair. Dumbledore, on the other hand, held out a small tin of what appeared to be the aforementioned Lemon Drops.

"I am thinking that you are perhaps a little distracted this evening, Hermione. Are you sure you wouldn't like a Lemon Drop?"

Lips sticking together in nervousness, Hermione replied in a small, shaking voice.

"No, thank you."

Bobbing his head once in acquiescence, Dumbledore placed the tin into an already open drawer. Upon sliding this shut, he turned to face Hermione once more.

"Well, in that case, we had better concentrate on the purpose for which I summoned you here. Although I have very grave doubts on the matter, I must ask if you have any time turners in your possession. Do you?"

Hermione shook her head, brown eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and apprehension.

"No, sir."

Again Dumbledore nodded at her.

"Now that we have ruled out that form of transportation, we can focus on the other possibilities. Poppy has completely ruled out any head injuries, or trauma of that sort, yet you are under the belief that you are from the year 2000. Assuming that you are not under the influence of Dark Magic, this leads us to suspect that you have time travelled... I am merely trying to ensure that all the details that I have are accurate. Does this information sound familiar to you?"

"Yes, sir," Hermione replied in the same quiet tone.

"Good," replied Dumbledore briskly. "Now, I am sure that you have some understanding of the potential disastrous consequences of this situation. Until such a time where you will be able to return to place from which you came, your safety is paramount to me."

Hermione had spent the last few minutes starting at her lap whilst listening to Dumbledore speak, however, her head immediately snapped up when he began to talk about her going back home.

"What do you mean by 'until such a time' where I will be able to go home? Isn't there a spell, a counter-curse, or anything that would send me back? I need to get back home, clearly I don't belong here, nor am I meant to be here."

"I am afraid it is not that simple, Hermione. Unless you have any more information for us, or your memory restores itself, we have no information on how you came to be in this time period. It will only be when we ascertain how you came to be here that we will have any clues as to how to send you back."

Hermione tried to process the information and make sense of what Dumbledore was saying to her.

What if her judgement was wrong? What if she couldn't trust this man? He said that he was the headmaster of Hogwarts. What if he had lied and he was not who he said he was?

All these questions swirled inside Hermione's brain, almost making her feel dizzy with confusion. Gripping the desk in front of her with her small, but capable hands, she tried to make sense of what he was trying to tell her.

"Hermione, to put it more simply, you will have to remain in our time period until we find a way to send you back to your own."

Before Hermione could have the chance to respond, the door to the office swung open to reveal James Potter scowling as a severe looking woman grabbed the collar of his shirt and propelled him forward into the office.

"I am sorry to interrupt, Professor Dumbledore, but I have just found this boy larking about on the stairs. He says that he was not listening in to your meeting, but I have reason to believe otherwise."

A look of genuine remorse was evident on his face as McGonagall propelled him further towards Dumbledore and Hermione. However, this was soon disguised by the general air of cockiness that he had displayed when Hermione had first met him.

"Professor, I promise I wasn't eavesdropping, but I think I have a solution to your problem."

The females in the room remained silent whilst Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in the direction of James.

"Mr Potter, may I ask what you perceive that problem to be?"

Knowing that he had managed to grasp a certain amount of Dumbledore's attention, James continued to speak, however, this time there was a growing sense of self-confidence with every word that passed his lips.

"You're looking for a place for Hermione to stay, aren't you?"

Dumbledore nodded his head and motioned for the boy to continue.

"I think I know a place where she would be able to stay," he said, pausing for a moment to make sure that he had the attention of the while room, and not just the Headmaster. "She can stay in the Room of Requirement."

McGonagall immediately clicked her tongue with impatience and crossed her arms over her chest. Hermione was sure that she felt the tension of the room shift when James spoke, in fact, she was almost certain that one of the supposedly sleeping portraits on the wall opened his eyes the tiniest crack.

"Potter, I didn't bring you in here so that you could create preposterous stories about –"

Dumbledore raised his hand to silence McGonagall. Nostrils whiter than ever, she settled her lips into a thin line, and the only sounds that could be heard in the room were the gentle clicks and whirs of the silver instruments on Dumbledore's desk.

"I am not sure that I understand," said Dumbledore finally. "Could you please explain to us what the Room of Requirement is, or perhaps, how you happened to come across it?"

James' mouth gaped open slightly as he realised that Dumbledore was showing genuine concern for his idea.

"The Room of Requirement," he said, uncertainty settling into his voice once more, "is something that I...no, we – that is, Sirius and myself – stumbled across during the course of one of our more spontaneous ideas.

McGonagall's eyes narrowed at the mention of his 'more spontaneous ideas', while Hermione stood completely bewildered at the turn of events. Dumbledore's expression, on the other hand, remained unchanged whilst James continued to speak.

"We had just put the finishing touches onto our...err...'reconstruction' of the bathrooms in our dormitory when -"

"Reconstruction, you say?" chuckled one of the portraits to the far left of Hermione. "Tell me, how did you blow up the toilet this time?"

"Professor Fortescue!" said McGonagall sharply to the still-chuckling portrait. "If you are not willing or unable to control yourself, then I strongly suggest that you remove yourself to another portrait frame immediately. Furthermore, this message goes to each and every one of you who thinks they are fooling us by pretending to sleep: You are not to mention any information regarding this situation to anybody. That includes staff, students or any of the other portraits. As far as any of you are concerned, you did not see or hear anything. Understood?"

A general murmur of assent echoed across the room, and James took this as a sign to continue speaking.

"Anyway, we suddenly had a need to get out of there pretty fast, which we did. I can't remember how, but we somehow ended up on either the sixth or seventh floor of the castle, and neither of us really knew where we were going. That was when we saw a door appear, literally out of nowhere. Having no other place to go, we did what any other self-respecting lad would do, and ran straight for the door. That first time that we used the room it had all kinds of broken things in it – chairs, textbooks, statues – stuff that no one would want. We've gone back there a few times, but the weird thing is, it changes every time we go in there."

Hermione was standing still as James spoke, but her mind was whirring.

"It's almost like it can read our minds and know exactly what we need... you all think I'm making it up, don't you?"

Hermione watched McGonagall as she glared at Dumbledore, waiting for his response before making her own feelings evident. Her eyes had narrowed magnificently into slits so thin that Hermione was not sure she could see past the end of her nose.

"I do not think anything of the sort, Mr Potter."

"You don't?" replied James looking aghast at Dumbledore.

"I do believe there is a first time for everything, especially in your case, Mr Potter. Now, onto more pressing matters...do you believe that this so-called, Room of Requirement would be adequate in terms of housing Miss Granger here until such a time when she can return home?"

James was silent for a few moments, standing in the centre of the Headmaster's office. The entire room fell silent, and Hermione could hear the air that she was exhaling steadily get louder as her feelings of annoyance attempted to escape her body.

"Excuse me," replied Hermione, attempting to be polite through her pursed lips, "but, did anyone care to consult me about this. Who said anything about me staying here?"

The room remained silent, save for the gentle murmurs of Fawkes the phoenix; however, it was obvious that the tension had shifted in the room. James was now staring at the ground, giving up all pretence that he was considering his answer to Dumbledore's question. McGonagall, however, was giving Dumbledore a look that suggested that they would be discussing this whole matter later.

"I beg your pardon, Miss Granger?" said Dumbledore, breaking the silence that had now pervaded into every corner of the room.

Hermione seemed to falter slightly at Dumbledore's unrelenting gaze; nevertheless, she pushed forward, determined as ever.

"While I acknowledge that we did discuss that I would be staying here, I didn't think you meant _here_. I can't stay here."

"Why ever not?" replied Dumbledore, calm as ever.

"Because," replied Hermione, pausing for a moment to collect your thoughts, "I just can't be in the castle. What if someone sees me? Or what if there is someone after me, and I put everyone in danger? I couldn't do that."

Even James quirked an eyebrow at that last remark. It seemed utterly ridiculous and absurd that anyone would end up at Hogwarts because someone was after them. Besides, Hermione did not strike him as the type of person who might be an outlaw, of sorts.

"Miss Granger, whilst I appreciate your concern for the students, I must extol to you the seriousness of your actions. It is imperative that you remain safe, especially when we are so uncertain of so many factors. Perhaps, if I could allow Mr Potter to show us the Room of Requirement that he speaks of, we may be able to assuage your fears?"

Hermione let a small amount of breath escape her lips.

"I don't really have all that much of a choice, do I?"

In one swift movement, Dumbledore tore his eyes away from Hermione and stood from the chair behind his deask.

"Mr Potter," he said to James. "I trust you to lead the way."

_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I would love to hear what you think of it :)**_


	5. Chapter 4

_**Thank you to all of you for all your constructive criticism and wonderful comments. You're very kind. After much delay, here is the next chapter. I have three weeks of exams ahead of me, and then I am on holidays until the end of February, so you can expect a lot more updates during that time.**_

_**I don't have a title for the chapter yet, but thanks to 'Anaid Meridian', anything I put up from now on will be in correct German, so thank you very much to 'Anaid Meridian' for being kind enough to translate.**_

_**As always, I would love to hear what you think of the story so far :)**_

**Chapter 4: Entscheidung**

**Choice**

The sound of echoing footsteps rebounding off stone walls was ceased rather suddenly.

"It's somewhere here," said James, almost whispering.

Part of Hermione wanted James to succeed as she watched him pace in front of the bare patch of wall on the seventh floor. However, there was another, more dominant part of her that wanted him to fail. How could she possibly stay inside Hogwarts? She wanted to find a way to get back home. She needed a place to do research, and in order to do that, she needed to get out and find out more about this world that she was now suddenly a part of.

As Hermione was thinking this, she noticed a shift in the air around her. Everyone was standing back, eyes bulging open as they watched the beginnings of a wooden door frame materialise.

"I don't believe it," whispered McGonagall as the intricate, deep brown swirls of the woodwork created a stark contrast against the pale grey of the stone walls. To Hermione, it resembled an enormous flower blossoming and making its presence known in spring. It was beautiful, but at the same time it was terrifying.

Without any conscious thought, Hermione reached her hand out to touch it, finding the wood surprisingly warm beneath her fingers. Fingers trailing against the pattern of the wood, she followed it with her fingers until they were able to clasp around the solid brass of the door handle.

In one fluid movement of her wrist, the door was open and the room was revealed to them. However, unless Hermione's eyes were deceiving her, there was more than one room here. The room seemed to bear a close resemblance to a typical one-bedroom flat one might find in London.

A cosy living area was the first thing that Hermione was able to see from the doorway. The deep red sofa looked incredibly inviting as it sat, facing the dancing flames in the fireplace. The mantelpiece even had an assortment of candles flickering and various knick-knacks that were waiting for Hermione to arrange them in a way that she would like. Small, spindly tables had been placed in various corners, each having a pewter bowl with a small selection of ripe fruit, ready to be devoured.

Tentatively, Hermione stepped inside, her shoes making almost no impact on the thick, burgundy-coloured rugs that lined the floor. Over in the far corner there was a door that appeared to lead to a bedroom. Stepping across to this door, Hermione peered into the room.

An enormous four-poster bed had been situated into one corner, whilst an antique desk was in the other corner. The colour scheme continued into this room, and burgundy drapes had been artfully hung from all sides of the bed.

Hermione cautiously opened the double doors of the mahogany wardrobe, and to her great surprise, a selection of freshly laundered black robes were hanging neatly, side by side. They appeared to be similar to what Poppy had provided for in the hospital wing, however, the robes hanging seemed to be of much finer quality, despite their resemblance to what Hermione had seen of the Hogwarts school uniform.

The last part of the arrangement that Hermione was yet to discover was the en-suite bathroom that was attached to the bedroom. James had to pull Hermione back as she almost stumbled off the edge into what she supposed was a bathtub, but what really resembled a small swimming pool in the middle of the marble floor.

'Wow,' was all that was repeated from James' mouth as the small entourage walked from room to room. Indeed he was the only person that had anything to say at all. The others simply went around, observing, tight-lipped until the very end.

Finally, Dumbledore broke the silence, a smile upon his face as he spoke.

"Well, Hermione, if you are agreeable, I'm sure that you would be more than comfortable staying here in the castle."

Hermione inhaled a large amount of air, and then slowly exhaled it.

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" she replied to the Headmaster, looking away from the incandescent blue eyes that she was sure could see right into her very soul.

"Right, well then, I think we should leave you to get settled. I can have some house elves help with catering and the -"

"Wait!" Hermione interrupted.

"I might not have a very good memory at the moment, but I am almost certain that I do not have a wand with me. How am I to protect myself should a student decide to enter the room? How am I to do any magic so that I can find my way back home?"

Innumerable questioned overflowed into Hermione's mind as the realisation of her lack of weaponry made itself more apparent.

"Miss Granger, I cannot make certain that no student will venture this way and find themselves in this room, however, there are only a few of us which know of your existence, that being, myself, Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, and Misters Potter and Black. I can assure you that your being here will remain with us, and only with us. Having said that, if you wish your existence to be kept a secret I must implore you to not venture out of this room. If you are in need of anything, I invite you to call on one of the house elves to assist you. Otherwise, I think that the very full bookshelves lining the wall over there would prove adequate in terms of being able to research your escape."

Hermione stayed silent for a moment, allowing the information Dumbledore had just imparted to permeate through her brain. Finally, she spoke once more, her voice sounding as fragile as her very existence.

"Thank you, sir. I will do my best."

With that, Dumbledore swept from the room in one fluid movement. He motioned for the others to follow him, and the group left Hermione in the room, feeling very small and more alone than what she had ever felt before.

_**If any of you are**___Directioners_**, my**___1D___**story was removed from here, but you can find the same story on my profiles on Wattpad (FlutePlayer56) or Movellas (Fluteplayer56). So go and check it out, if you are into boybands.**_


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Vereint**

**United**

Hermione's head immediately shot up, face turning towards the door as she heard the click of the door handle. It was such a small sound that she was sure that she would not have heard it if the room had not been so quiet.

Heart hammering in her chest, her eyes darted around the room for something which she might be able to use as a weapon in the event that the person on the other side of the door was an attacker of some description.

A jet-haired head quickly popped in through the small gap that had now been made, and Hermione felt her shoulders relax and drop.

"James! You scared the he...never mind. Come on in."

James laughed and practically bounded over to where Hermione was curled up on the sofa. He plonked himself down next to her, making himself comfortable by taking his shoes off and placing his feet on the coffee table in front of him.

"So, how has everything been since the last time I saw you?" he asked, helping himself to one of the apples in the fruit bowl on a rickety table beside him. The table rocked slightly as he took the fruit, threatening to topple over as the missing weight changed its centre of gravity.

Hermione shrugged at him, and closed the book that was sitting on her lap.

"The last time you saw me? You know, as well as I, that you came by this morning before class, and not much has changed since then. I am still doing fine. Speaking of which, aren't you meant to be in class now?"

"Nope, we have a break for lunch now. It might be a good idea if I started to head down there now... I just wanted to check that you were alright, and that no one had tried sneaking in or anything like that. How's your study going?"

Hermione had let a small smile escape her lips when James had said he was just checking up on her, but it soon turned to a frown with his question about her research.

"It's not going well so far, but, I've only really started reading the books today, and I haven't had the chance to get very far."

"That's alright. You're safe here, and you've got plenty of time to go through everything and find your answer," replied James as he leant in closer to give her a one-armed hug with his free hand.

"I'll be back later tonight, after dinner. Sirius might want to come along too, ok?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Just make sure you get your homework done first."

James rolled his eyes at Hermione before slipping his shoes back on and trudging his way back to the door. Turning, he gave Hermione a wave goodbye, and quickly disappeared back into the school hallways.

Hermione let out a sigh and continued to allow herself to be absorbed into the world of knowledge.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

She had been reading all day and yet still come across nothing. Not one thing was even close to hinting at how she could have time travelled without the use of a time-turner. Setting the book down on the coffee table, she let her head rest in her hands as she rubbed at her tired eyes.

A loud popping sound gave her the second fright of the night, and she instantly snapped her head back up to see the source of the noise.

"Toppy is here, Miss. I is bringing you some dinner," said the squeaky voice belonging to what appeared to be one of the Hogwarts house-elves.

Hermione's mouth watered at the sight of the hot beef stew, and she felt her nostrils enlarge slightly so that more of the rich smell of the meat would be able to enter her nose.

"Thank you, Toppy. Please set it down on the table here. It is very kind of you to bring me some."

"I is only doing my job, Miss," said the house-elf, although Hermione could see the merriment in Toppy's eyes as she said it.

"Well, thank you anyway, Toppy. I will see you tomorrow."

Curtsying slightly, Toppy backed away a few steps before apparating herself out of the room, and once again she was left to ruminate on her own thoughts. Picking up the spoon, and tucking into the stew whilst it was still warm, she thought back to earlier in the day when James had said that he might come back to visit her after dinner.

In the few days that Hermione had spent virtually bound to this one room, James was the only person who had taken the initiative to visit her. Despite the fact that she did not know much about James, she found herself oddly attached to him. Albeit, this was purely a friendship on her part, she could not help but feel that James was a little too comfortable with the arrangement.

Putting the tray of now-eaten food to one side, Hermione picked a large leather-bound book from the pile on the table beside her and set about reading through it once more, finger tracing over the lines as her eyes skimmed over them.

She was so invested in her research that she did not hear the knock of warning on the door, and for the second time that day her heart was left hammering thanks to the messy mop of black hair that was protruding through the gap of the now opened door.

Clutching at her chest with one hand, she put down her book with the other, and motioned for James to come inside.

"Come in, quickly, before anyone walking by sees you... hang on, who are all of you?"

James had immediately taken the invitation to come in and was now comfortably lounging in his usual position on the sofa, however, there were several others who were standing awkwardly by the door, waiting to be invited in properly.

"Oh, Hermione, I would like you to meet the Marauders. This here is Sirius, who you have already kind of met...that's Remus, he likes books too, you'll have plenty to talk about...and that one standing behind him is Peter."

Looking at all of them, Hermione mentally assessed each of the boys, wondering if they could be trusted. Peter had the look of an overgrown school boy with his plump cheeks and messy fair hair. He was currently smirking at Hermione, and his watery blue eyes were roaming all over her body in a way that made her nauseated.

Sirius looked much as he did when Hermione saw him last in the hospital wing, so she only spent enough time looking at him to notice that the air of arrogance that had surrounded him them had yet to lift.

Remus, on the other hand, was the polar opposite to Sirius. Whilst Sirius exuded a natural-born confidence, Remus had yet to cast his gaze upwards to look Hermione in the eye. Physically, he was the tallest of the group and in Hermione's eyes, the most attractive. One of the waves of his light-brown hair had fallen over his eyes and inexplicably, in that moment, Hermione wanted nothing more than to rush over there and sweep it away, however, she quickly remembered what she had been initially been so angry about.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you all...James, can I have a word with you in the other room, please?"

"You're making me get up? I've had such a long day and..."

"James, now!"

The thunderous look on Hermione's face made James swallow his words immediately, and he shrugged his shoulders at his friends before following Hermione into her bedroom.

"You and Sirius made a promise to Dumbledore and to me, that you would not tell anyone else that I was here," Hermione whispered frantically, her face had morphed from the serene expression she had held before to the intensely angry one that was currently taking over as she spoke.

James did not even flinch as Hermione spoke to him, instead waiting until she had finished hissing at him in whispers.

"Listen, those three out there are my best friends, they're like brothers. There is not a chance in the world that I would keep something like this from them. Besides, Sirius already knows. What's the difference with two more people? They aren't going to tell anyone."

Hermione sighed in frustration, running her hands through her hair making it even frizzier than what it already was.

"Well, I guess it's too late now, but next time, please ask me before you do something like that."

James let out a little laugh, before putting his arm through the little hole created by Hermione's hands on her hips, leading her back to the others.

"Don't worry, Hermione. There won't be a next time, I promise."

Letting out a little grumble, Hermione mumbled a few choice words under her breath that sounded remarkably close to 'you said that last time'.

"Just one thing," said James before they made it into the earshot of the other Marauders. "They don't know where you came from, if you want to keep it that way, then that's ok. I'll respect that."

"It would mean a lot if you kept that part to yourself...thanks," replied Hermione, looking up into James' hazel eyes with gratitude.

"I hope you're not mad with me. I just thought that you might like someone else to chat to during the day. I know you say you have plenty of books to keep you company, but you can't really make friends with paper."

Hermione laughed, as they walked out into the lounge room together, arms still linked.

"Just because you are allergic to books, it doesn't mean that we all have to take that kind of attitude towards them."

Walking back into the room, the pair was met with the stares of Peter, Sirius and most of all, Remus.

"James, how long have you exactly known Hermione?" asked Remus, eyes resolvedly fixed on Hermione and James' hands.

"A few days... why?" he questioned, eyebrows furrowing in his confusion at Remus' question as he moved to sit back down in his previous place on the sofa.

"No reason," Remus replied, looking everywhere but Hermione's face.

"So, Hermione," said Sirius attempting to lighten the mood as he sat down next to James. "If you're not a student or a teacher, what are you doing here in the castle? Are you a house-elf in disguise?"

"If I am, it would be a surprise to me," laughed Hermione. "James, may I please borrow your wand?"

"Why?" replied James, immediately suspicious. "Because two of my guests do not have a seat, and I like to treat them with more respect than have them standing the whole time they are here."

Grudgingly James handed his wand over to Hermione, however, he was soon watching in awe as Hermione conjured two soft chairs, covered in red velvet, for Remus and Peter.

"Thank you, Hermione," replied Peter in a sugar-sweet voice that for some reason, immediately repulsed Hermione.

Remus also mumbled his thanks, still not quite looking at Hermione as he sat in his seat.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

The group was so comfortable together, they did not notice that it had indeed been hours since dinner.

"Isn't it past curfew?" asked Hermione when she finally caught sight of the clock on the mantelpiece above her fireplace.

"Yeah," replied Sirius in an unconcerned manner. Hermione however was still confused.

"Aren't you going to go back to your common room before you get caught by a teacher?"

"Oh, don't worry about that," said James, not looking up from what appeared to be a raggedy, well-worn piece of parchment on his lap. "We have our ways of getting around the authority. For example, we could say that Moony here wanted to go for a bit of a night-time stroll."

"Moony?" asked Hermione, confused as to who they were referring to.

"Remus here is otherwise known as Moony in our circle of friends."

"Oh," replied Hermione, still perplexed by the name. "Why do you call him Moony?"

"No reason," said Remus, a little too quickly. "They just think it's funny, but Hermione, you're right. We really should be going. It was nice meeting you. If you need any help with that research you are doing for Dumbledore...I can't speak for those fools over there, but I am certainly happy to help in any way that I can."

Looking Remus in the eyes for the first time, Hermione was shocked to find them to be such a deep and rich brown. They seemed to match his trustworthy and sturdy nature perfectly. She sent a small smile in his direction before replying.

"That would be great. Drop by any time you like – as long as you don't have class, that is."

Quickly saying their goodbyes, and leaving for their common room, Hermione was left to her own devices in the sudden silence that was presently filling the room.

Although she had initially been angry at James for betraying her trust and bringing the others, Hermione was finding it incredibly difficult to rid her mind of Remus. He had started off the evening seemingly being incredibly shy, however as the group got more comfortable in each other's presence, he had begun to open up a little more, offering a little of his thoughts to the conversation every now and again.

Even as Hermione lay in bed that night attempting to get to sleep, she found herself contemplating what it would be like to look into Remus' deep brown eyes once more, and she hoped more than anything that he would keep his word and be back to visit, if not help her find a way back home.

_**I'm not entirely happy with the end of this, but my brain was hurting too much to concentrate on it for too long. Hope you guys like it anyway. Can't wait to hear what you think, please don't forget to leave a review xx**_


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Eins**

**One**

It was several days before Hermione got any more visits from the Marauders. She did not realise exactly how much she had missed their presence in her current day-to-day life until they were no longer larking about in her rooms. Their spontaneity was a force to be reckoned with, especially that of Sirius and James. Hermione suspected that Peter and Remus only followed along for the sake of loyalty to their friends as opposed to any malicious intent. Not that James and Sirius were malicious. They would never intentionally harm any person; however they did have a tendency to get absorbed into whatever roguish activity happened to catch their attention at the time.

To Hermione, it therefore came to be a great surprise to hear the subdued click of the door, late one evening. Instead of seeing the jet-black mop of hair to which she was so accustomed, the light-brown tresses of Remus seemed to be poking through the door instead.

"I'm so sorry to intrude Hermione, but I was wondering if you would care for a visitor?"

Hermione bit back a smile. True to their word, none of the Marauders had yet to let slip of her presence in the castle, and as a result, she had become less agitated at sudden noises, and more welcoming of visitors.

"Just the one?" she questioned, a teasing note evident in her voice.

"Just the one," Remus repeated. "We Marauders may be brothers, but we are not permanently stuck together with spello-tape."

"You're not?" cried out Hermione with a tone of false-mockery. "And here I was thinking that I would have to get Poppy in here to unhinge you from each other's grasp."

"Ha ha, very funny," replied Remus. "So, am I allowed to come in?"

"Yes, just close the door behind you and, come and take a seat," answered Hermione, allowing a giggle to effervesce from her body as she watched Remus attempt to navigate the small library of books that she had stacked around her small lounge area, each grouped with reasonable neatness according to date and topic. Putting the tome that was resting next to her onto the nearest pile, she turned her body, giving Remus her full attention.

"So, where are these brothers that you speak of? Why aren't they here with you keeping me entertained, as you seem so eager to do?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I suppose I have to admit that Padfoot and Prongs are off planning the untimely demise of more than a few ghosts that seem to think it appropriate to materialise in our breakfast each morning. James didn't want me to mention anything – he didn't think that you would be the type of person that would approve of his stab at 'revenge'. Peter, on the other hand, is in detention, for being idiot enough to blab their original plans over dinner in the Great Hall, the other night."

"Why on Earth would Peter get the detention, if James and Sirius were the ones that were planning this 'untimely demise', as you call it?"

Remus pressed his mouth into a thin line at this, taking a moment to think through his response before verbalising it.

"Padfoot and Prongs are very good at being elusive; they don't get caught unless they want to be... there was also some unpleasantness that Peter requested we never speak of again."

Not wanting to know any more information, Hermione held up her hands and shook her head at Remus.

"I think we'll leave it at that," replied Hermione, who despite herself, was holding back an urge to laugh. It wasn't that she thought Peter deserved any mistreatment; it was simply a case of her immediate dislike of his temperament deciding to resurface in her mind.

"In any case," said Remus, smiling at Hermione's obvious aversion to Peter, "how has your day been?"

With Remus' seemingly genuine interest in how her day had progressed, Hermione visibly relaxed and the small crease that had resided between her eyebrows smoothed as the tension began to lift from her weary muscles.

"My day has been going fine. My eyes are a little sore from squinting at the text of those books. I never thought I would say it, but I think I need a break from books. I have yet to find anything even remotely related to what I am looking for."

At Hermione's admission, Remus looked over at her, speaking in an amused tone as he attempted to hold back a chuckle.

"Surely you would never turn your back to books!"

Hermione finally let out her tinkling laugh.

"No, I don't think that I could ever do that. I just can't shake the feeling that there is some crucial point that I am missing... of course, I am probably missing several things given the fact that my memory has decided to fail me at the most crucial moment, but it is all just so frustrating..."

Her voice trailed away with that, the sense of hopelessness that she experienced with every futile turn of a page invaded her voice as she spoke to Remus about it.

"Just out of curiosity," said Remus, eyeing her discouraged expression with a worried one. "What is it that you are researching? I mean, all you have told us so far is that it is something for Dumbledore, and to be perfectly frank with you, that is not really saying much."

His eyes flicked about the room, eventually resting on the pile of books that was nearest to him. They wandered up and down the pile, and even Remus felt the most overwhelming emotion, knowing just by looking at the pile, that Hermione faced an immense task irrespective of the topic.

Having already anticipated the moment when she would have to concoct some kind of story to cover her presence, Hermione had a simple explanation waiting in the recesses of her ever-occupied brain. Her plan was to give as little information as possible. It was so very against her nature to lie and therefore be deceitful, and she wanted as little on her conscience as possible.

"It's nothing too vital... just a little project that Professor Dumbledore is working on at the moment."

Although Remus was much more introverted then his friends, his mind was still shrewd and more than capable of analysing a situation with tremendous insight.

"You say that it is not vital, and yet Dumbledore has invited you into the castle as his guest... not to mention kept you hidden. Well, almost hidden," he said, adding the last part with a small smile as he thought of his friends who were more than likely uncovering more secrets of the castle at this very moment in their attempt to wreak havoc on its inhabitants.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. However, her insides were squirming. Remus was not usually so forward with his shrewd assumptions.

"How Dumbledore chooses to keep me here, is his prerogative. I like to think that I am here for a particular purpose, and it is up to me to achieve that," Hermione quickly fibbed, hoping that Remus would drop the subject as quickly as possible.

"You still haven't told me what that purpose is...look, Hermione. I don't mean to pry and make you uncomfortable, but perhaps I can help?"

His hazel eyes locked into her clear brown eyes, silently encouraging her to open up and give him an answer. Hermione, on the other hand, looked away as quickly as possible, not wanting the pink flush that had suffused her face to be noticed.

"For the moment, Dumbledore wants that kind of information to be kept between him and I, if that's alright with you?"

It was Remus' turn to shrug his shoulders and look as casual as possible.

"If that's what Dumbledore wants, I suppose I can't argue with that, but don't hesitate to ask me for any help that you need. You don't have to tell me what the overall scheme is if you don't want to. Perhaps I could go down to the library and get more books, if you need them."

Hermione let out a chuckle at this, wondering why on Earth Remus would be so insistent about helping her.

"Thank you for the offer, Remus. But I think I have more than enough books here to keep me occupied for months!"

"You don't seem to be too happy about that," replied Remus, picking up on the somewhat fatigued tone in Hermione's voice.

"I would like to think that I could get home as soon as possible," said Hermione, shooting a nervous glance towards Remus.

"Am I really such horrible company that you would like to run away as soon as you can?" replied Remus, feigning hurt.

Again, Hermione laughed before she responded.

"No! Of course not, Remus! You're actually very nice company. I'm glad that we can spend this time together, however short it may be."

"Awww, thanks Hermione. It's great to spend time with you too, but I think I should be going for now. Wormtail will be out of detention and James and Sirius... well, we'll see what happens with James and Sirius."

Hermione stood to usher Remus out, giving him a quick hug goodbye, whilst simultaneously being astounded at how close she had grown to these four students. Students, who despite being mischievous teenagers, were incredibly astute and confident. Hermione often thought that this confidence bordered on being downright cockiness, however, she was not complaining. The Room of Requirement was comfortable enough, however, it was somewhat emotionally draining, having to sit in the same surroundings all day and all night, not knowing how long she would have to be stuck in there. Having the Marauders there, even for a short while every few days was pleasant and refreshing.

'It would be nice,' thought Hermione as she closed the door after Remus, 'to go outside for a little while. Just to get a bit of fresh air, and to see what kind of a place I have really found myself in.'


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Abgelenkt**

**Side-tracked**

Remus was alone for the first time that day, and he relished the calm that solitude had brought him. Whilst all his peers were enjoying each other's company, he had chosen to take refuge in the library at Hogwarts. He enjoyed books and reading, not to mention studying in general. It was the one place where he could truly shine and be equal, if not better than those around him.

Fingers reaching out, he was almost caressing the well-worn leather spines. His fingers traced the titles, gold lettering almost invisible against the deep burgundy, through decades, if not centuries of use in some cases. Picking out what he guessed would be the most relevant; he quickly jogged over to where Madam Pince was waiting at the main desk. He did not want to have to face her wrath, as his presence in the library was perilously close to the time of curfew, and he didn't have anything that would save him in this situation. He also simply wanted to get to Hermione as quickly as possible. James and Sirius had said that they would be visiting her later this evening, but Remus seemed to have a burning need to be there before them. He enjoyed it when it was just Hermione and him, without the others there to interject jokes or whatever tomfoolery had taken their fancy at the time.

Although he had yet to do anything wrong, Remus was still subject to the beady glare of Madam Pince as she checked out his books. Polite as ever, he thanked the librarian and made his way out the library as quickly as was possible without running. As soon as he was out of the earshot of any teachers, he broke off into a sprint, running up the various staircases two at a time where possible, all the way to the seventh floor.

Arriving considerably short of breath, he walked slowly in circles in an attempt to feed his oxygen-starved muscles, and prevent them from cramping. When he finally felt like he would be able to make a presentable appearance, he walked past the bare patch of wall opposite the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy three times in quick succession.

After a few brief raps on the door with his knuckles, he heard her clear voice speak from within, and turning the knob he propelled himself forward into her sitting room.

"Hermione? He called out to the empty room. "Are you in here?"

Edging his body past the door, he walked over the small kitchen area only to find that it was empty as well. Swivelling his eyes across the vacant area, he wondered where Hermione could be, given the fact that she was not allowed out of the Room of Requirement.

"Hermione?" he called out again, uncertainty pervading his being, internally wondering whether anything had happened to her.

"Hermione, are you in here?"

Fear clutched at his heart for a few brief moments before he finally saw Hermione emerge from her bedroom, vigorously towelling her hair.

"Oh, Remus! How long have you been waiting there? Goodness, you look as white as a sheet! Is anything the matter?"

All of this was said very quickly, with very minimal pause for breath as she stared at Remus, brown eyes wide with concern, a stark contrast against the pale colour of his face.

Swallowing his previous apprehension, Remus finally found his tongue, and was able to respond.

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"If you say so," replied Hermione, still slightly disbelieving despite the colour that was now flooding Remus' face.

"I just brought you some books from the library that I thought might help your research," he said, holding out said books in an awkward manner.

"That's very sweet of you," replied Hermione, her mouth curving into a wide smile. "Take a seat; I will be out in a few minutes. I just need to tame my dratted hair after my shower, and then we can look through them together."

Remus did as she bid, and took his place on the sofa, waiting patiently for her to complete her tasks. Emerging from the bathroom several minutes later, he noticed that she had given up on taming her hair completely, instead opting to coil the whole lot on the top of her head in a tight bun thus revealing the whole of her face.

"I may not remember all of the magical skills that I have, but I can bet any amount of galleons that it was easier to deal with my lion's mane with a wand!" she said, smiling widely as she took her place in the seat next to him.

Not knowing how to respond to this, Remus returned her smile politely, and moved to pick up one of the books that he had brought with him.

"Did you want to start with one of these? Or did you perhaps want to have a break first? I know this must be difficult for you, having to sift through all this information. I can't possibly imagine what your brain must be feeling like at the moment."

Gently tugging the book from Remus' hands, Hermione shook her head at him, apparently amused at his questions.

"I have no issues with processing the information. I suppose I am one of those people who can easily stay focused on the task ahead. Once I have my mind made up over something, I can't help but see it through until the very end. This research is no exception. As I said earlier, the quicker I get this done, the quicker I can go home."

Remus had been very observant in noting that Hermione had actually revealed very little about where, or indeed what, 'home' was. He simply couldn't help himself any longer. He had this almost implausible desire to find out all that he could about the mysterious girl in front of him.

"Where is 'home', Hermione, if you don't mind me asking?" he said, watching her facial expressions with intensity.

It was obvious that this question caught Hermione off-guard, and Remus noticed the way her clear brown eyes widened before quickly looking away, as though he might be able to glean some meaning or information just from looking into them.

Just as quickly, Hermione dropped her head down, staring at the book sitting on her lap.

"To be honest, Remus, I don't know what home is, at the moment. The thing is, I have very little recollection of my past. I don't even know how I got here..."

Instantly, Hermione snapped her mouth shut, knowing that she had given too much information away for Remus' sharp mind. Remus, on the other hand, realised that he may have touched a nerve with his previous question, and he briskly turned their attention to the original purpose for which he had arrived; however, his mind had other plans as it connected all the dots that Hermione had presented before him, somewhat accidently.

"So, I was flicking through these earlier today, and I thought they might be helpful. When I was here the other day I noticed that most of the books you already have are either about how Wizards travel or Dark Magic. I brought books about both, so you can take your pick as to what you find most useful."

Seizing the opportunity to change the subject, and steer them into safer topics of conversation, Hermione immediately threw her enthusiasm into this. Re-establishing her attention towards the volume on her lap, Hermione flicked her eyes over a few of the pages catching the odd word, here and there.

The title of one particular chapter caught her attention owing to the fact that it neglected to mention the name of the very person, or being, it seemed to be discussing.

"Remus," she said, startling him out of his concentration. "Who is this person that this chapter keeps mentioning? How are we supposed to know who it is if we don't know what he is called?"

Hermione was looking at Remus with curiosity, turning to alarm as she watched the blood drain from his face as he saw what she was looking at.

"Ah... that," he said, loosening the tie from around his neck as he spoke. "Hold on a second... you don't know about _him_? Surely, you would have some idea – the things he's done..." Remus' voice paled into nothingness, and he looked at Hermione with a helpless expression. Hermione, on the other hand, was still none the wiser.

"Sorry, Remus. I still have no idea about what you are talking about. You are going to have to be more explicit."

'Where do I even begin?' thought Remus as he racked his brains for some suitable way to explain the devastation that this creature had inflicted over such a short amount of time.

"Hermione," he begun slowly, "you have to understand that this _thing_, this _creature_ is practically pure evil. His followers are no different – and they aren't just witches and wizards. I can't even bear to think of what would happen if the giants get on his side like the werew...(at this point Remus let out a cough, somewhat changing the subject). I bet, not even Dumbledore can find any good in You-know-who."

"But why can't they name him?" replied Hermione, feeling more and more like a petulant child.

"Everyone fears Him, because of what He has done. He has realised our very worst nightmares. Because of this, it pains us to even say his name."

"But fear of the name, only increases fear of the thing itself," said Hermione, not quite able to comprehend the scale to which Remus was speaking of.

"Look," said Remus, "I think that we've discussed all that we can for tonight. Why don't you read through some of the chapters that you've found about Him, and if you still have questions, you can ask me about them tomorrow. Okay?"

"Alright," conceded Hermione, still with a burning need for answers, yet recognising that she would not be able to gain any more information from Remus tonight.

Giving her a one-armed hug, and a brief kiss on the cheek, he stood leaving Hermione to follow out his instructions.

"James and Sirius said that they would come by a little later on. I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow...bye."

She watched Remus' tall figure retreat from the room, before turning her attention to the chapter before her.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

It did not take long for Hermione to be utterly revolted and disgusted by what she read.

Kidnappings...murders...muggle-killings, for fun. Families were left without mothers and fathers. Mothers and fathers were left without children..."

It was reading the eye-witness accounts that tipped Hermione over the edge. She could practically feel the pain and torture of the victims seep through the pages and enter her body. Every muscle in body began to tingle as she tried to question the motives of such cruelty.

Innumerable questions flitted through her brain, and she stored these securely in her memory so that she would be able to ask Remus the following day. However, there were several questions that she knew she could never ask Remus, for it would mean that she would have to reveal that she was not from this time. She could not risk anybody else finding out, for fear that it would alienate them from her.

She could not bear the thought of losing any of her new friends, even though she knew that in finding out how to get to her own time this would mean leaving this world and its inhabitants behind. With every day that passed, this seemed infinitely more difficult to fathom, and there was a minute part of Hermione that wished she could never leave, and that part of her seemed to be taking over more and more of her mind as a new kind of nostalgia was formed in her brain, so that anything previous was kept hidden. It felt like all the bits of her past were trapped in a glass vial. She knew that they were there, but the glass was foggy and she could not see in to allow them to escape and be as free as they once were.

However, there was one nagging thought in Hermione's mind that she could not let go of. Could this creature, this Lord Voldemort that she had read about play a part in her arriving so unceremoniously in this era?


	9. Chapter 8

_**A late Merry Christmas to everyone, and I wish you all the best for the New Year :) I hope you enjoy this update, don't forget to review!**_

**Chapter 8: Gefangen**

**Trapped**

The cover of the book slammed down with exceptional force, and a number of expletives were released under Hermione's breath as she noticed the crimson red apples on the table next to her change colour to a crisp green. She had been thinking about how hungry she was, and how many hours it was until dinner; but surely, the mere thought of that would not be enough to change the apples to the variety which she usually favoured.

Picking up one of the apples, and examining it in the flickering firelight, she focused her eyes on the piece of fruit, willing it to change back with only her eyes. Much to her consternation, it did not change back.

These kinds of occurrences had been somewhat frequent, even more so in the previous few days. Funny things would happen. Things would change with very little conscious thought on Hermione's part.

In the several weeks that she had been virtually trapped in the Room of Requirement, Hermione had been unable to perform magic as she normally did. It seemed that now this was the case, the magic, the very essence of her being seemed to be exploding out of her at the most inopportune moments.

Yet, despite these happenings, Hermione could not help but get the strongest sense of déjà vu when strange things did happen. It was like she had experienced it before, or perhaps watched someone else who was experiencing this bizarre phenomenon. What she wished, was for Dumbledore to be here and explain what was happening to her. Dumbledore was wise and all knowing. He had seemed to have experienced all, and he would have almost certainly come across this kind of uncontrolled magic in younger, untrained, witches and wizards.

Remus, who visited Hermione the most out of all the Marauders, refused to believe that her magic was escaping her in such a way. He had only seen a glimpse of what Hermione was capable of with a wand, when she borrowed one of theirs, and thus maintained the belief that she was too in control of her magic for something like this to happen.

Sirius and James visited less but still sustained a reasonably good relationship with Hermione; however, she had not seen Peter since the evening when they had first been introduced. Thus, Peter had no input on the topic, whatsoever. Sirius suggested that Hermione's inability to perform magic at her usual level left her body burdened by it, and therefore needing to expel it in some way.

James thought it an amusing personal quirk, when Hermione tried to explain herself, and he did not take the issue any further. This left Hermione siding with Sirius for the first time in their friendship – a feeling that Hermione was not necessarily accustomed to, but it seemed to be the only plausible answer.

Reminiscing on the evenings the group had spent together immediately turned Hermione's focus towards Remus. He had not visited her for several days, and this weighed heavily on her mind, even more so then the issue of her haywire magic. She missed her friend. However, did she still see him as just a friend?

Hermione was very conscious of her initial reaction of Remus, particularly because she still felt the same fluttering in her chest every time he came into contact with her. Her heart would pump furiously whenever he would say her name. Although she was technically several years older than Remus, she had not ever experienced that with any other person she had been remotely interested in, especially a person who was practically forbidden to her.

There was no part of Hermione's brain that could justify her emotions. Remus was a stranger to her. He was a school boy, and she was an independent adult who, in her opinion, ought to know better. However, there was a part of Hermione's brain that was always left questioning if Remus felt the same. Did he feel that surge of electricity when they accidentally brushed up against one another? Or, did he get the same swooping feeling, low in his belly, as Hermione often did when he would agree with something that she had to say? But, most of all, Hermione wondered if she would ever be able to gauge his true feelings. He was such a gentlemen to her, and she did not foresee any situation where he might deem it appropriate to talk about Hermione in anything other than a friendly manner.

Still, ruminating on any potential feelings that Remus may or may not have did not help her solve the issue of not being able to control her magic. If anything, it made the problem worse.

It also did not help that Remus was taking her invitation to help with her research, very seriously. He would arrive every evening, after completing his own study for his upcoming NEWT's, and pore over textbooks with her. Painstakingly, he summarised and recapitulated entire chapters before Hermione put her foot down and told him to stop. It had taken a certain amount of force to do so, on Hermione part, and she was both shocked and annoyed to find that she had blanked out all the words of the library textbook, with only her mind. Shocked because it had happened, but annoyed because it had only happened once Remus had left for the evening; only occurring when Hermione was replaying the scene in her mind as she stacked away said textbook back into the bookshelf to where it belonged.

Part of Hermione desperately wanted to defy Dumbledore, walk straight out the oak doors of the Room, and run away. However, the reasonable side of her, kept reminding her that even if she gathered enough courage to move past the solid oak barrier, she did not know a thing about the world beyond it; except, of course, that it was a dangerous place, thanks to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Although Remus had assured her that You-Know-Who could not get past the school's all-encompassing barriers, Hermione could not help but continue to consider if he played some part in the limbo that she was now faced to live in.

Tomorrow, she resolved, she would get Remus to take her out into the school grounds. Being such a good friend with Sirius and James gave him almost exclusive knowledge of all the places that students could go and not be found. Hermione hoped that he would have the heart to put this knowledge into good use, and at the very least give her a change of scenery. As sad as it would be to lose her friends, perhaps she would hear or see something that might jog her memory. Then, she could be gone for good.

**HPHPPHPHPHPHPHP**

"This damned room won't even give me a window to look out of!"

Remus watched as Hermione paced the confines of her rather small sitting area, and he could not help but feel Hermione's frustrations rolling off her and settling uncomfortably around the Room.

"Please, try and relax, Hermione?" Remus asked in a tentative voice.

"Relax!" she all but screeched at him in return. "How can I possibly try to relax?"

"Well, acting this way is neither productive, nor helpful!" replied Remus, getting unusually cross with Hermione. "This is not the Hermione that I know."

Hermione stopped pacing the room at Remus' words, and crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Remus with what he supposed was an attempt at insolence and disobedience.

"Ok, so what would the Hermione that you know do?"

Remus shook his head at her before replying.

"The Hermione that I know would not spend the evening moaning and groaning about the problem. She would try and find a way to solve it."

At this, Hermione let a sly grin curve onto her face, eyes still not leaving Remus.

"Oh no!" he said suddenly. "Let's not start this again. I am not taking you outside and into the grounds. It is too dangerous. I'm a prefect, think of what might happen if we were to get caught."

"How can you say that you would get caught? You've made it to seventh year without being expelled. You must be doing something right," Hermione replied raising a brunette brow in his direction.

"Dumbledore said..."

"Who cares what Dumbledore said? Why do we always have to answer to Dumbledore?"

"You're impossible!" groaned Remus, covering his face with his hands in frustration. "But, that doesn't mean that I am taking you out into the grounds, or anywhere else for that matter."

"Fine," replied Hermione, striving to keep her voice cool and indifferent. "I was hoping that you would be the one to put me out of my misery, but I guess that I'll just have to get one of the others to take me out instead."

Hermione did not know what made Remus react in the way that he did, but a part of her was glad that he did respond after she suggested that the others might get to spend some quality, one-on-one time with her. This part of her seemed to be growing larger and larger everyday; like a parasite that was slowly growing every time it was treated with more food. His head snapped up from his hands when she had spoken, and he was glaring at Hermione with an intensity that would have made her uncomfortable had she not been so irritated with him.

"Wait!" he said, rather abruptly. "I won't let the others take you out. I can't promise that I will allow you to go outside either, but I'll try and think of something. Ok?"

"Ok," replied Hermione, somewhat grudgingly, as she crossed her hands over her chest in a final act of defiance.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

"Remus, what is this?"

Hermione was staring at Remus, mouth agape like a fish, as he entered the Room, levitating an enormous cardboard box with what appeared to be leaves, of various descriptions, peeking out from the open top.

"You can't go into the outside world," replied Remus, huffing slightly as he turned to his side to allow the box to fit through the door. "So, I brought the outside world in to you."

"And I thought _I_ was going mad," said Hermione in a quiet voice, more to herself than to Remus.

Striding over the sitting area, Remus began to quickly and efficiently unpack the objects from the box. He pulled out several different coloured pots, of varying sizes, colours and shapes. Each pot contained a little dirt, and what smelled suspiciously like dragon dung fertiliser.

Pinching the bridge of her nose slightly, Hermione stood over Remus, watching him work and waiting for him to be finished before commenting.

"Remus? Why have you brought me so many pots of dirt?"

Remus smiled at Hermione, now rushing around the room, spreading the pots around on various work surfaces and book shelves. He would put one down, stand back and more often than not, shake his head and replace whatever was there with another one. He would repeat this process several times before he would finally be happy with the placement.

"I haven't brought you dirt," he finally explained to Hermione. "Well, I have, but it is what is in the dirt that is the most important thing."

"Dragon dung fertiliser? That's the most important thing?" asked Hermione, more confused than ever.

"No, silly," replied Remus, still smiling widely as he worked. "I have put different seeds in the pots. If you water them, and love them, they will grow. It brings the outdoors in, so that you can enjoy it. It also gives you something else to do, so you don't bite my head off every time that I come to visit. Goodness knows I get that everywhere else, and I don't need it from my new friend too."

"Oh," was all that Hermione could think of to respond with, still sceptical as to how growing flowers might help. However, at the same time she was touched that he remembered a seemingly insignificant part of their previous conversations. She _had_ told him that she enjoyed gardening and being in the outdoors.

"Gardening seems to help old people to calm down, and relax, so I thought it might do you good if you gave it go. Now, I've jumbled them up a bit, so some of the pots have flowers, and some of them have things you can eat. I think that tall one over there has carrots, and some of the smaller ones have got different herbs. A herby smell would be much nicer than the smell of old books, don't you think?"

"Mhmm," replied Hermione, still not convinced that growing a few shrubs would help her to relax. "Well, thanks, I suppose."

"You're welcome!" said Remus, giving Hermione a brief hug as he finished his work and went to stand next to Hermione. "Just make sure you water them, or they will die, and I will be sad."

"Aww, come over here you big softy," cooed Hermione, giving Remus a proper hug. "Thank you, for trying to make me feel better Remus. I'll look after them if it will make you happy."

"That's all I ever ask!" replied Remus, his usually pale skin taking on the cherry-red colour of the pot closet to him as Hermione gave him a swift kiss on the cheek in thanks.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Wendung zum guten**

**Turn For The Better**

Hermione did not hear the heavy oak door slam back into the frame, and so she continued with the chores in her bedroom, humming softly to herself. She did not see the way in which Remus sat, slumped against the front door, battered and bruised as he attempted to catch his breath. Blood had congealed along the edges of the gash that was positioned just above his left eyebrow. He winced with every ragged breath he took in, one arm draped over his body as it clutched at the pain in his ribs, several bruises scattered across it.

"Mione..." he called out, voice feeble owing to the lack of air that was able to stay in his lungs. There was no response.

"Her-mione," he called out again, trying as hard as he could to amplify the volume of his voice so that he would be heard.

Finally hearing some kind of disturbance coming from the general vicinity of her lounge room, Hermione quickly put away the clothes which she was holding, before hurrying out to figure out the source of the noise.

Hermione had expected to see one or more of the Marauders, as they still continued to visit her quite regularly; however, she did not expect to find Remus curled up on the floor, looking as though he had just lost a particularly violent duel.

"Why are you so hurt?" she cried out when she saw him slumped against the door.

"S'nothin'," replied Remus, desperately trying not to wince as he shifted his body so that it appeared to be more upright. Apparently he did not do a very good job of it because the look of horror on Hermione's face only intensified.

"Where is your wand?" she demanded of him, holding her hand out, ready to accept the magical object.

With the hand that was not keeping his ribs together, he reached into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out the wand, before placing it in Hermione's outstretched hand.

"What're you going to be doing with it?" asked Remus, the analytical part of his brain dulled by pain, could not reason with Hermione's request.

"I'm going to try and mend your injuries as much as possible so that a) Poppy will not ask so many questions about them and b) you can actually get to the Hospital wing. What on Earth did you do to yourself?"

"Wasn't me," rasped Remus, face scrunching up in another wince as Hermione ran the tip of his wand along the cut above his eye.

"I really like," he continued speaking through the pain he felt, "that you are not one of those girls who screams and runs away at these kinds of things."

"You need to report whoever did it to you," replied Hermione in a tone of voice that suggested if Remus had any objections, he should keep them to himself.

"It's alright. I've had a lot worse."

"Worse?" repeated Hermione, her voice unusually high in surprise.

Choosing to remain silent for the remainder of the time which she worked, Hermione continued to move the wand in a series of complicated movements. Stepping back, she held her head slightly to the side, regarding her work.

"That's the best I can do, I'm afraid," she told Remus, who she noticed was now grimacing less and sitting up straighter, although still leaning against the back of the door.

"You're still a little bruised, and I don't know how to repair bones without Skele-grow. I am almost certain your ribs are broke, just by the amount of pain you seem to be in."

"Thanks," replied Remus, his voice a fraction stronger than what I had been several minutes ago. "Can I rest here for a few minutes before I go and see Madam Pomfrey?"

"Sure," replied Hermione, "but only if you tell me who did this to you. I get the impression that this is not the first time this has happened, and you are not going to sort the situation out anytime soon. I would like to know who this vile person is so that I can go and sort them out myself!"

"No!" said Remus sharply. "You'll only make the situation worse for everyone."

"How will I make the situation worse?" asked Hermione, watching Remus carefully as he hobbled over to lie down on the sofa.

"He's a Slytherin," said Remus once he had succeeded in making himself comfortable.

"What has he being a Slytherin got to do with anything?" asked Hermione, perplexed. "If anything, that only adds to the list of reasons why I don't like him."

"He also comes from Death Eater parents," said Remus simply.

"Death Eaters... they are You-Know-Who's followers, correct?"

"Correct," replied Remus, shifting himself so that he was completely reclined in the chair.

"What is his name?" asked Hermione, her tone slightly less aggressive than what it had been previously.

"Conrad. Conrad Rowle."

This name tingled something in Hermione's brain. Something stirred in her memory, but she could not place where she knew the name from.

"He has an older brother," continued Remus, "but he has already left Hogwarts. Now there is just him and his younger brother. Conrad is in seventh year with us, and his brother, Christoffer is in sixth year."

Still, the name continued to worm into and embed itself into Hermione's brain. It was driving her insane. Why couldn't she figure out why the names were so familiar?

Putting these thoughts aside, she shuffled herself over to where Remus was lying down. Hermione ran her hand along his forehead, gently moving his light brown hair out of the way so that she could see the pale pink line that remained above his eyebrow from where she had healed his cut. Brushing her fingers along this line, Hermione felt Remus flinch under her touch and move away slightly.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, afraid that she had caused him pain.

"No," replied Remus, his voice low. "It just feels...funny."

Hermione could not help but stare at Remus after he had said this. Was it possible that he felt the same surge of electricity when even the smallest particles of skin brushed up against one another? Did he often get an excited feeling when Hermione was mentioned in conversation, as Hermione frequently did about him? Most importantly, did he think about her when she wasn't there? Did he think of her potentially as more than just a friend?

All thoughts of how inappropriate it was to dabble with the past, and the people involved in it, were removed from Hermione's mind. With the new thoughts of Remus in the front of her mind, Hermione leaned forward slightly and placed a gentle but deliberate kiss to the smooth, pink line above his eyebrow. She pulled back instantly, waiting for his reaction.

Remus' eyes fluttered closed very briefly at this small act of intimacy, before snapping open again, looking up at Hermione with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"I'm sorry that this happened to you Remus," she said, endeavouring to keep her voice low and calm despite the rapid beat her heart was hammering out against her chest wall.

Keeping her hands near Remus' face, her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own, adamant on brushing his fringe from his eyes. When Remus did not offer any protest to this, her hand continued to stroke down his face, all the way to his lips. Outlining the edges, Hermione tried to commit this moment to memory, feeling as though it could be taken from her in an instant; after all, it would not be the first time that her memory was locked away, out of reach from even its owner.

Remus' eyes remained shut tight, and Hermione could feel his hot breath mingle with her own as she leaned forward capturing his lips in hers. For what seemed the longest second, Hermione could not feel his response, and internally panicking, she wondered whether or not she had done the wrong thing; however, he soon began to move his lips in sync with hers.

She felt his hand reach up and grasp the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him. Swiping his tongue against her bottom lip, she granted him entry as he deepened the kiss. Neither of them heard the door click open behind them as Hermione reached out to caress Remus' cheek.

"What the hell is going on here?"

James' voice rang out clearly in the room, cutting through any romantic feelings that may have been present.

Remus' and Hermione broke apart, eyes opened wide in shock as they turned to face James. Hermione didn't know what to be more anxious about: the fact that she had finally acted on the feelings she had had towards Remus from the moment she had first laid eyes on him; or the fact that James had caught them acting on these feelings.

Leaving Remus to right himself from the slightly undignified position that he was currently in, Hermione stood to face James' slightly thunderous-looking expression.

"How long has this been going on for?" he demanded of them, as he clenched and unclenched the fingers on each of his hands, arms ramrod-straight by his sides.

Remus was now sitting upright, although wincing slightly he opened his mouth to speak however he was cut off by James yet again.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, his voiced suddenly kinder and full of concern as he noticed Remus' grimace of pain for the first time. "It wasn't Him, was it?"

Remus could only nod. Apparently his kiss with Hermione served as some kind of analgesia, and now that it was over he could hardly speak due to the pain in his ribs.

"Do you want me to help you get to the Hospital Wing?"

Remus nodded again. Clearly he was glad to have not only a diversion from the awkward situation, but also some kind of relief from his injuries.

Ignoring Hermione, James strode over to where his friend was sitting. Standing on the less injured side, he put Remus' arm over his shoulder, and helped his friend to the door. They disappeared behind it as quickly as possible, leaving large gaps in Hermione's brain where reason and logic usually resided.

Did Remus perhaps reciprocate her feelings; and what made James react so powerfully? He had always stuck up for her and been her friend, no matter what happened. What had suddenly changed his opinion of her?


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Unschuldig**

**Innocent**

There were several fretful days where Hermione did not receive any news at all from the outside world. Claustrophobia had settled within her stomach, aggravating her to the point of nausea. No one came in to the Room to visit, and she could not go out to see anybody without severe repercussions.

Something within her told her that Dumbledore was to be trusted, and she did not want to lose the faith that he had in her. Hermione could see the attractions that her being in the castle held for the Headmaster. He would have the chance to invest himself in magic that was potentially unexplored in previous eras. For a mind that was as brilliant as Dumbledore's, this was an opportunity that was too good to go unnoticed.

So, instead, she was forced to sit in the Room and amuse herself. All pretence of finding a way out was given up on, and Hermione would often catch herself staring into nothing. Occasionally, she would rouse herself from her stupor, and find just enough strength to water the various pots that Remus had previously set up for her. In the days preceding Remus' last visit, Hermione had been able to see a tiny amount of green as the succulent shoots began to emerge from the dark earth; however, in recent days it seemed that the leaves seemed to be following Hermione's lead, and were drooping and wilting, no matter how much water she gave them.

A melancholic feeling seemed to emanate and infect the very air around her as her thoughts were consumed with the relationships and allegiances that had been formed since she had arrived in this era.

Peter, she could hardly count as being a friend. Even as a marauder, he had only visited her once, and that was the time in which he had been introduced to her. Hermione could not help but wonder if he was as close a friend as what Sirius, James and Remus considered him to be.

Sirius was polite and cordial, visiting perhaps a couple of time a week with the odd bit of gossip for Hermione. He was the only person who was willing enough to discuss You-Know-Who with her. Although he spoke quite candidly on the matter, and with a relaxed voice, Hermione got the distinct impression that there were some underlying tensions running under his skin regarding that particular topic. He was pleasant enough company for her, and made the long evenings slightly more bearable.

James, on the other hand, seemed to be more of a puzzle for her to solve with his often labile mood. There were times when he would be rather chummy with her. Similarly to Sirius, he could sit with her for hours, discussing the most obscure and hilarious topics, leaving Hermione in stiches and gasping for air. Yet, there were times when he seemed to shut down completely in her presence or worse yet, become annoyed and almost angry with her. Hermione was yet to notice a discernible pattern, and this annoyed _her_ to no end.

However, it was Remus that plagued her thoughts with the most vigorous fervour. It was true that he did not create any kind of struggle when Hermione had engaged him in a lip-lock. Hermione put her head in hurt hands, face heating up at the mere memory of her actions. She had been so stupid! Careless! She was not able to rid her mind of the idea that she had somehow taken advantage of Remus due to his precarious health situation in that moment.

Every sensible part of his being had been dulled by pain and fear, and she had used that to her benefit so that she could get what she wanted. She was selfish, on top of being stupid and careless. But the thoughts that caused the most pestilence in her mind were the ones that compelled her brain to consider what it was that she really wanted.

Where would that kiss have ended up if James had not entered the room when he did? Given Remus' physical condition, it was not likely that it would have got very far, however, if it could have, would she have continued to kiss him?

Thoughts swirled throughout her mind, and she hardly had the time or the energy to acknowledge their presence, let alone give herself a chance to answer them. The more Hermione thought about it, the more she realised that she was just as inflicted as what Remus was when it came to having senses dulled by pain. Wasn't she just as affected by the pain that an injured Remus caused her, and therefore just as mentally impaired, and not to blame?

However, more than anything else, it served to highlight the fact that all of this was as temporary as her very life. There had to be an ending to everything, and anything that she could have with Remus would only be more painful to end when the time came. That is, if Remus had wanted to start anything with her in the first place. She was technically an adult, and he was still in school, even if he was only a few years younger than what she was.

The questions that she continued to ask herself only served incite more shame, more anger and more passionate feelings from within her. Her mood continued to drop even further. There were times when she thought she could physically feel the pain and anger. She learned to suppress it, compress it even, sectioning it off in one tiny part of her body. Manipulating it with her mind, she visualised it making a tiny ball within her. Hermione wished more than anything that she could take that part of her and rid herself of it completely. Scoop it out, or slice it away cleanly with a knife so that she would no longer be forced to endure it or deal with the ramifications that would undoubtedly ensue.

It was at times like this that Hermione would sit, curled up in one corner of the lounge as close as she could get to the fireplace without burning herself. More morose than ever, she resigned herself to staring into the glittering flames, thinking of the times that she knew to be too good to last and of the bully who had taken them away without a second thought towards the consequences of his actions.


	12. Chapter 11

_**Finally, an update! I think this is the longest one yet, and I hope you enjoy it. Can't wait to hear what you all think :)**_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Bitte?<strong>

**Please?**

James Potter and Sirius Black strode into the Hogwarts library like they knew exactly where they were going. The truth was that they had absolutely no clue. The library was not a place which they frequented over the course of their day. Occasionally it became a place they visited at night; or more specifically, the restricted section of the library was more familiar to them as they tiptoed around the piles of books under the cover of darkness with only James' thin cloak of invisibility to protect them.

Now, everything looked completely different in daylight. Previously dimly lit, hostile-looking corners and crevices looked oddly cosy and welcoming as the late afternoon light shone through the stained glass of the windows and refracted off the dust particles which seemed to create a film across almost every surface in view.

Quiet as they were, the pair of seventh-years did not go unnoticed, and Madam Pince immediately narrowed her eyebrows together as soon as she clapped her eyes on them. James watched from the corner of his eye as she craned her neck in every direction from where she sat at her desk, observing them as they made their way around the shelves as she made sure they were not befouling what she deemed to be her domain.

"This place gives me the heebie-jeebies during the daytime," whispered Sirius to James as they continued to search amongst the books, travelling up and down the aisles, peering through gaps in shelves. "Remind me to never come back, if I can possibly help it."

James nodded his assent, keeping his eyes peeled.

"Where is he?" James finally said, after they had spent a good ten minutes wandering around looking utterly and completely out of place whilst the other students gave them slightly wary looks.

Finally, the pair found themselves at the far end of the library, and they turned towards the last aisle of books. There, nestled in the deepest and darkest corner, they found Remus curled up with his nose in a book.

"Always in the last place you look," Sirius sighed as he and James approached their fellow Marauder. James would have retorted with some kind of clever quip if he had not been so worried at what he saw.

At the sound of their footsteps Remus looked up from what he was reading, and James and Sirius could not help but be a little shocked at what they saw. Remus was as pale as ever, and this only served to highlight the deep purple rings around his eyes that made it seem as though his eyeballs had sunk into his skull. He also looked as though he would do well to have a few good meals in him. Although he was one of those guys who were naturally slender, James noticed that his school shirt seemed to hang off him a little more than usual.

Stopping a few footsteps short of their friend, James and Sirius stood back in shock as though this were the first time they had seen Remus as clearly as this. There was still a week to go until the full moon. How much worse would Remus look after he had undergone his transformation?

Deciding that an open confrontation would not be the best way to approach the matter, James kneeled down to be at Remus' level.

"Hey, mate. What are you up to today?"

Remus seemed to clutch onto the book even more firmly as though James' words would be able to take it away from him, the knuckles on his hands blanching with the added pressure.

"I was just going to catch up on some studying... you know, because of what's going to be happening next week..." his voice trailed off, already slightly raspy from disuse.

James looked over at Sirius, seemingly at a loss with what might be the best way to respond. Finally, after several moments of silence, Sirius finally responded.

"James and I were thinking of seeing Hermione this afternoon. Did you want to take a break from studying and join us?"

Remus' mouth gaped open for a moment. He shut it, swallowing with some force. He looked out towards on the library windows, apparently unable to look James in the eye.

"I don't think it would be good for me to be up there. I'm not feeling all that well actually, so I think it would be best if I stayed away until I felt better."

James and Sirius had shared a dorm room with Remus since first-year, and they knew practically everything there was to know about one another. They knew when one of them was perhaps feeling a little under the weather. They could hear when someone was having a hard time sleeping, and they could see when someone's appetite was not as it usually would be. Remus had been tossing and turning in bed ever since he had gotten back from the hospital wing, and he had been unintentionally skipping meals in order to 'study'.

Sirius thought that this was due to the Slytherin that had been giving Remus a hard time recently; the last attack had not been the very worst, but it had still been one of the more severe episodes. The Bully, as he was known amongst the Marauders, had a knack for knowing when authority would not be present, and he would swoop during these times, when his victim would be without back up. Neither James nor Sirius knew exactly why Remus was such a target for Conrad Rowle, but they had often guessed that it was because Remus was not pureblood like the other Marauders. They thanked their lucky stars that Rowle did not know about Remus' 'affliction' otherwise they feared the beatings would become much, much worse; and there was very little they could do to prove to staff that Rowle was indeed the cause. The Marauders knew very well that without proof there would be very little in terms of consequences. It was almost a motto that they lived by as it had certainly save their skin more than a few times.

James, on the other hand, knew that whilst Rowle may have been part of the issue, he solely could not have created such a dramatic change in Remus so quickly. James suspected that Remus' sudden decline had something to do with Hermione, and what he had walked in on in the Room of Requirement. Remus' declining to visit Hermione that afternoon only served to strengthen James' thoughts on the matter.

Looking over at the book in Remus' hands, he noticed that it was about modes of travel which witches and wizards could use. This struck him as odd. Nowhere in the seventh-year curriculum did it mention they had to study such a thing. It was one of those things which every student knew by this point because they had actually travelled by each method, thereby making the need to study the theory redundant.

"Remus, I know that you have a burning need to do well in class, but I think that you could really use a break."

Remus opened his mouth to argue, however Sirius cut him off rather quickly.

"Please don't argue with us Remus. To be perfectly honest, you look like you're ill, and I don't think you're going to cope very well next week if you keep going like this. Why don't you just take one afternoon as a break, and visit Hermione with us? Please? I'm sure that she misses you."

After several moments of silence, Remus finally responded.

"I'll think about it," he sighed, before pulling the book back up to cover his face.

Sirius tuned to James and shrugged his shoulders in what James supposed was a 'well, we tried', kind of response. As they made their way out of the library, James turned to look over to Remus corner to see that Remus had stopped reading, as was staring out the stained glass window that was closest to him. He looked morose and gaunt as the fading sunlight outlined the angles of his face. It made James wish with all his heart that he had not caused this funk that Remus was in, and that he would snap out of it as soon as possible. He hated seeing his friends hurting, and he knew that when he would visit Hermione that afternoon, she would be no different.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Hermione had now reached a point where she abandoned all efforts to figure out a way back home. Getting out of bed in the morning would leave her exhausted, and it would often be mid-morning before she felt that she could face the day. Not that there was much to face, in her opinion.

James and Sirius had been around a couple of times to help cheer her up, and despite their reassurance that Remus had recovered well since she had last seen him, Hermione would not feel entirely comfortable until she saw him with her own eyes. The only problem with that was that Remus had stopped visiting.

Thinking that she had made a terrible mistake when she had kissed him, Hermione took the angle that this was all her fault. Well, not entirely. There was a small portion of her loathing which she had reserved for James, because if he had not burst into the room when he did, perhaps she and Remus would have been able to make some sense of the situation before it progressed any further.

That kiss was one of the only things which kept replaying over and over in Hermione's mind. She had dissected the scene so many times in her brain that she almost completely lost what was real from it and what was not. She was sure that she could still feel his slight stubble as her thumb had rubbed against his cheek, but she had eliminated the memory of how it had taken him a moment longer to respond than what she had imagined before it had happened. She could remember exactly the firm pressure of his lips against hers and the contrasting softness of his tongue as it swiped against her bottom lip, only now the memory served to be a source of pain instead of pleasure.

James seemed much less irritated with her, and that was something for which Hermione was grateful. He had said that he was going to be visiting her sometime that afternoon, along with Sirius. Therefore, it was a bit of a shock for Hermione to find Remus on the other side of the door, instead of the others.

Once she got over the initial shock of seeing him there, she had a whole new wave of uncertainly to deal with as she felt Remus' arms snake around her body and pull her into a searing kiss. All the tension in her body seemed to drain into a puddle on the floor, and felt completely revitalised in only the few seconds in which she had been in his arms. However, all too soon her brain caught up with her hormones, and Hermione felt herself pulling away from Remus despite the fact that every emotional fibre within her protesting vehemently.

"I'm sorry!" Remus gasped almost immediately. "I shouldn't have done that. I can't believe that I did, but I haven't seen you in what seems like forever, and I miss you, and I think we need to talk first..."

Remus voice trailed off into silence, looking incredibly awkward as he fixed his gaze towards the floor. He felt as if he didn't deserve to look into Hermione's face after what he had just done. It seemed far too embarrassing.

"Remus, why don't you come in and take a seat. Hmm?"

As they walked over from the door over to the lounge area, Hermione took a few discreet deep breaths as she attempted to regulate her racing heartbeat. Each of them had one side of the sofa to themselves, and both of them sat on the very edge of their seats. Hermione did not know where to look, and so she chose to stare at herself fidgeting her fingers in her lap. Briefly casting her head upwards, she could see Remus in a similar position and her heart went out to him when she could see that he was just as internally tortured as what she was.

"Just for the record," Hermione sent a small smile in Remus' direction, hoping it might calm him slightly, "I've missed seeing you too."

Remus replied with a smile of his own, and Hermione could see his shoulder drop a little as they relaxed. The kiss which Remus had just initiated gave Hermione a pretty good idea about how he felt about her.

"Hermione, I can't help myself. I have to apologise for how I've been acting around you lately. Clearly I've made you upset at me because I came around when I was injured, thereby making me your responsibility, and that was irresponsible of me. I'm also sorry for kissing you, and having James walk in on us. I shouldn't have done that. It was a rash decision, and like all hasty decisions, it ended badly."

"Sorry that you kissed me? Or sorry that James caught us?" Hermione could not help voicing.

"You know that James likes you...a lot."

Hermione momentarily closed her eyes and sighed, knowing that she could no longer ignore the truth.

"I got a bit of a hint of that...okay, I got a lot of a hint about that. He's been around here an awful lot, and helped me beyond what a friend might."

"Do you know about Lily?"

Hermione looked at Remus, a perplexed look entering her facial features.

"Who's Lily?"

"Lily Evans is the girl whose attention James had been vying for ever since our first train ride to Hogwarts, but she seemed to hate him."

"Why are you using past tense when you talk about how she feels about him?" Hermione gently probed, not really understanding where Remus was taking his story. It was here that Remus' smile turned down a little at the corners of his mouth.

"I use past tense because ever since James met you, he's backed off Lily a bit. He's not showing off like he used to, and if the rumours are true, Lily is not as pleased as what she might have originally made out to everyone else. I think that she is, finally, starting to like him back now that his pompous head has deflated a little bit."

"Oh..._oh!_" cried Hermione as full realisation dawned upon her. "But we think that James likes me now as well."

The pair remained silent as numerous thoughts flickered in and out of Hermione's mind about how to solve the situation. After all, it was not James whom she was interested in.

"Please don't tell him that I told you this,"  
>Remus hastily implored Hermione. "I would hate for him to think I was interfering, but I think Lily would be good for him, and it would be a dream come true for him as well. If we can make it happen, that is."<p>

"But how could I help make it happen?" asked Hermione, quite unsure of what Remus was asking of her.

"Hermione, I am going to ask you a rather blunt question, but I want you to answer me honestly. How do you feel about me? I think judging by my past actions, you have a pretty good idea about how I feel, but what do you want?"

The question caught Hermione off-guard. Her mind was spinning as the conversation kept switching back and forth between herself and Remus, James and Lily and herself and James.

"You don't have to apologise for how you acted when you came here injured. If I remember correctly, I was the one who initiated that first kiss."

Remus could not help but smile a little wider as Hermione said this, and she noticed his eyes shine a little brighter as she spoke. She shifted her body so that she was sitting much closer to him than what she had originally been. Placing her hand on his arm, she looked him in the eyes for the first time since he had arrived that afternoon.

"As strange as it feels, I really like you too, Remus. As Dumbledore's guest in the castle, it feels like you should be forbidden to me, but I can't help it, and I can't help but wonder how this is all going to help James. I don't want to hurt his feelings by starting something with you."

"Well, I was thinking that we could remove you from the equation," replied Remus, scooting himself closer to Hermione on the sofa. "I think I would like to respond more appropriately to your original questions towards me. I am actually not sorry about anything. I am not sorry that I kissed you, and I am not sorry that James caught us. I know that you're only here for a short time, but I can't stand not knowing what it would be like to be with you. Please, say you'll give us a shot? Please?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Don't forget to leave a review!<strong>_


	13. Chapter 12

_**Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been working a little backwards with the story, and I have plenty of the ending done, but nothing of this middle bit! But good news for you guys is that once we move past this section, the chapters are already done for the end, so I can update very quickly :)**_

**Chapter 12: Sonnenuntergang**

**Sunset**

"Close your eyes," whispered Remus as he held onto Hermione's hand. "Just imagine everything that I am describing to you. Imagine it being right in front of you."

Hermione did as she was bid, but she opened her eyes after only a second.

"Please, Remus. Why do we have to do this? We wouldn't have to if you would just let me go outside."

Remus chuckled a little, before placing his hands on her shoulders by way of calming her.

"You know that you're not allowed outside, and it kills me to not be able to give you what you want, but we have to respect Dumbledore's wishes. If he doesn't want you outside, then I don't either. Just close your eyes and relax..."

Closing her eyes, Hermione attempted to follow his instructions to relax. She felt Remus' hands exude a small amount of pressure from where they had remained on the tops of her shoulders.

"Take a few steps forward...no, one more...ok, I'm going to turn you around and get you to sit on the edge of this seat..."

Remus made sure that Hermione was relatively comfortable before pulling a piece of paper from the back pocket of his trousers. It was very scrunched, and even torn in some places where the nib of his quill had been pushed through the paper in frustration. If Hermione had her eyes open, she could have seen many black lines scored across the page as entire paragraphs had been scratched out and re-written.

Remus' voice was quiet, but clear in Hermione's ear.

"Imagine yourself walking along a peaceful, old country road. The sun is warm on your back and the birds are singing. The air around is calm and fragrant with the scent of Spring. Soon, you come across an old gate. It creaks as you open it and go through."

"You keep walking along the pathway, and soon find yourself in an overgrown garden. Flowers in every colour are growing where the seeds happen to have been scattered by the wind. There is a fallen tree off to the side, covered in vines. The grass is soft under your bare feet, and you can smell its sweetness as it is gently crushed by your feet."

"Listen to the birds, and the songs they are singing for you. Hear the insects as they make their home amongst the foliage. Feel the gentle breeze against your skin as you come to a stream. The water is clean and clear as it tumbles over the rocks...now, slowly, open your eyes."

Hermione carefully lifted her eyelids, and was simply astounded at what she could see.

The room had transformed itself. Everything that was now in front of her was everything that she had been visualising, exactly as Remus had described it. To say that her bottom jaw had dropped off her body and hit the floor would have been an understatement. Hermione was almost completely lost for words.

"This can't be real!"

At Hermione's response, Remus let out a small chuckle.

"Of course, it's not actually real. Once James explained a little about how he thought the Room worked, I couldn't help but wonder what we could do with it... so I thought we might give this a shot instead. You can't go outside, so I brought the outside in to you."

Hermione felt herself smiling and grinning more than she ever had whilst she had been with the Marauder's. Standing up on the tips of her toes to reach, Hermione put her arms around Remus' neck in an embrace.

"Thank you," she whispered into his ear as she pulled him closer to her. Pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek, she turned herself back around to survey the room once more.

"It really is amazing. Isn't it?"

"Not as amazing as you," replied Remus with a wink, before turning to give Hermione a kiss of his own. Not stopping there, he continued to kiss along her cheek until he reached the corner of her mouth. He stopped there, waiting so that he could gauge Hermione's reaction before continuing.

She turned her body around so that was facing him completely. She lifted her hand, and gently traced along the scars that remained from his bullying episode. He had not yet spoken to Hermione of what happened with Rowle. Hermione had encouraged him to seek help from the staff about the incident.

In Hermione's mind this was not a little bit of schoolyard taunting. This barely constituted bullying. It was a downright vicious attack, and the scars that were left on Remus' face, in her opinion, only prove her point further.

Allowing her fingers to trace the white line above his eyebrow, she allowed her eyes to roam across the rest of his face. Here, in the pale light produced by a conjured sun, she could just about make out other faint lines, and what looked like scratches criss-crossed against the pale skin. She watched as Remus closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying her touch.

Her hands drifted down his face, accompanied by her eyes. Together they moved down to his arms. Although Remus was slim, he was still rather toned and Hermione took a moment to place her hands on his forearms, feeling his muscles twitch underneath them in excitement. Moving her hands further along, she yet again noticed the same criss-cross pattern of old scratches smattering his arms where the sleeves of his shirt had been folded up. Thinking that they were nothing more than old battle-scars from a certain bully she grasped his hands in her own, and placed a brief kiss against his lips.

It was such a simple gesture, yet it meant the world to each of them.

Before either of them could get too excited and deepen the kiss, Hermione pulled away, forcing Remus to open his eyes.

Lifting herself up onto the tips of her toes, she leaned in a little closer so that she was able to whisper into Remus' ear.

"Let's enjoy our time here, and we can get back to that later."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

A picnic basket sat to the side of a tartan rug, almost empty save for a small bunch of grapes and about three bites of a turkey sandwich.

Remus had sat himself on the rug cross-legged, creating a small crevice with his legs where Hermione was able to rest her head as he fed her grapes one by one, admiring the way her plump, pink lips created a delicious contrast to the pale green of the fruit as they wrapped around it, sucking it into her mouth.

It was driving Remus absolutely crazy. For the first time since he had met Hermione, she had actually allowed herself to properly relax and enjoy the moment. He wished that every moment with Hermione could be as carefree as this, but he knew that there would be an expiration date to whatever this was that he was doing with her. She would stop being Dumbledore's guest, and go back to wherever she came from. He thought that he would perhaps meet her again by chance, or that there might be a likelihood that they could continue with whatever this was that they were doing here.

Occasionally, Remus would get enough courage to secure a grape between his own teeth, and Hermione would receive not only the fruit as her prize, but the brief teasing of Remus' lips against her own as he pushed the grape into her mouth with his tongue.

"It's so peaceful and perfect here. Can we stay in this moment forever?" Remus finally asked Hermione; however, he regretted it almost immediately when he saw her face fall slightly at his words.

"If only we could make time stand still...but I suppose that it can be a special place in our memories we can go to whenever we need a little reminder of the good parts of life."

Out of the corner of her eye Hermione saw Remus put the leftover grapes into a small saucer before feeling his body shift and move to lie beside her. Putting one arm over her torso, he pulled her closer into his chest, and together they watched the sun dip below the tips of the tree tops as it set.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Erschaffen**

**Created**

"It does not even need saying. I'm sure that you all are aware of what is happening outside the walls of Hogwarts that is concerning Voldemort."

James could feel Lily stiffen beside him as Dumbledore said _that_ name aloud. He often admired Dumbledore for his audacity with using the name that so many others were afraid of. However, the fact that his Lily was one of those people only made James internally scowl.

He reached his fingers over slightly so that they tickled the palm of Lily's hand, before feeling a slight surge of satisfaction roll through him as she unclenched her fingers and allowed him to hold her hand.

"Therefore," Dumbledore continued, "I urge you all to be extra vigilant when patrolling the school during your rounds. If you have any doubts or concerns, please do not hesitate that you contact your Head of House immediately. We want to ensure that Hogwarts remains the safe place it has always been for students."

Dumbledore was met with several nodding heads from each of the prefects, and the head boy and girl, respectively.

"In that case, I bid you all a good evening. You may return to your dormitories."

With his hand still firmly intertwined with Lily's, James swivelled on the spot to escort her back to Gryffindor tower, however, before he could even take a step forward, Dumbledore's voice stopped him.

"Except you, Mr Potter. May I have a word with you, privately?"

"Err... yeah... I suppose that's okay."

He looked at Lily who nodded towards him, but not without a perplexed look covering her face.

"Go ahead," she encouraged him before dropping his hand gently to his side. James could not help but notice Dumbledore's gaze drop ever so slightly to accommodate their now unclasped hands.

"That," said Dumbledore rather shrewdly, "is a recent occurrence."

James let an embarrassed smile fall onto his mouth. Lily had finally said that she would go to Hogsmeade with him over the previous weekend. To the astonishment of James, she had admitted to having a good time whilst there with him.

"We're not exactly together," said James slowly, not knowing how to navigate this conversation with his Headmaster.

He felt head suffuse his cheeks as he looked Dumbledore in the eye, only to be greeted with a discreet wink. He quickly pivoted himself on the spot, eyes seeking out the door to make sure that Lily had not been privy to that exchange. Thankfully, the door had been shut tight, and Lily was nowhere to be seen.

"Now, I am aware that you have been paying regular visits to Miss Granger, up on the seventh floor."

"Yes..." replied James slowly, unsure of where the conversation was heading, and therefore not willing to give away too much information. Dumbledore, however, continued to speak despite James' lack of participation in the conversation.

"You have encouraged several others to do the same. Correct?"

"Well, 'encourage' seems like a bit of a strong word to use," was his reply, to which Dumbledore chuckled.

"I assure you Mr Potter, that I am not in any way angry or upset with you divulging this information to your friends, however, I implore you to ensure that it does not spread any further. I trust you understand that this includes Miss Evans as well. She is a shrewd learner, and I do not wish to underestimate her abilities in this case. Therefore, it is imperative that she does not know."

"Yes, sir," said James, despite the unsettled feeling in his stomach that he was sure was related to the thought that he had to keep a vital piece of information away from Lily.

"Thank you, you may return to your dormitory."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

"Remus!"

Hermione could not help the giggle that effervesced from within her, despite her frustration.

"Just be patient and I will let you know exactly what I am up to. Stand still so I can tie this blindfold properly. I keep getting your hair caught in the knot."

"Oh, so you _are_ up to something?"

Even though Hermione could no longer see him, owing to the blindfold, she still put her hands to her hips and turned to the direction she was sure that he was standing in.

"Ok, I'll take it that the blindfold is working because I'm not actually standing there anymore," Remus chuckled before rummaging around in the bag he had brought with him.

"I'm going to put a cloak over you now, so stop wiggling around so much."

Hermione stood as still as her frustration and excitement would allow her. Remus had insisted on another surprise date. The fact that the date was occurring was not a surprise – they had been having weekly dates every Friday afternoon, after Remus had finished class – however, he had adamantly refused to tell her what they were doing for this particular date.

"Fine," Hermione sighed before acquiescing.

She felt a cool breeze settle on her shoulders as Remus swung the cloak over to cover her body.

"I understand the purpose of the blindfold, but why do I need a cloak?" Hermione could not help but asked as she fished around for clues in his answer.

"You'll find out in just a couple of minutes, let me grab my bag, and we can get started."

Hermione could hear the gentle clunks of school books being tossed around in Remus' bag, before she felt his arm snake around her shoulders and guide her around the room. He muttered a few words under his breath, and Hermione felt a gust of cool air hit her face as what she supposed was the door swinging open.

She felt her jaw drop slightly towards the floor.

"You're not taking me outside, are you?"

"Ha ha, sometimes you are too smart for your own good Hermione."

"Now that I know what it is, can I take the blindfold off?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope!" replied Remus, popping the 'p'.

Hermione grumbled slightly, but allowed herself to be escorted out of the room.

Together, they meandered down corridors which Hermione tried to remember from when James and Professor Dumbledore had first brought her to the Room of Requirement, however she found that too much time seemed to have passed, and she couldn't remember an awful lot about how to get to and from the Room of Requirement.

With Remus gently murmuring directions into her ear, Hermione successfully managed to navigate the dozens of staircases and passageways between the seventh floor and the front doors of the castle without crashing into anything or tripping over her own feet. She viewed this as a great success.

"You're doing great," Hermione felt Remus' arm curl itself even more firmly around her waist. She could smell the warm spring air before she could feel the warmth of the sun against her, and it smelled absolutely divine.

The sweet smell of grass rose up from the ground as she walked over it, gently crushing the blades underneath her feet. From the distance she could smell the water from a lake, and hear the small, gentle waves as they broke on the shore.

"It feels so good to be out of that Room. I didn't realise how stuffy it was..." she trailed off inhaling another great lungful of air before exhaling slowly out of her mouth.

"You do know that now you've got me outside, you're never going to get me back inside," she said to Remus.

Feeling the gentle vibrations of his chuckles against her side, she sensed his arm lift towards her, and in one swift movement she felt the cloak lift from her shoulders.

"I'll deal with that later when the moment comes. Right now, I think it's safe to take your blindfold off."

A second later, she felt her eyes pucker up and squint at the brightness of the sun.

"I have to admit that I was going to give in and bring you out here last week, but the weather was terrible. As you can tell, there has been a slight improvement, and we can actually see the sun for the first time in about ten days."

"It's beautiful, thank you," she replied balancing herself on the tips of her toes in order to press her lips against him.

"I have to admit. I brought you over to a very secluded part of the grounds, and we don't actually have all that much time here either. Students aren't allowed out onto the grounds after dark, and it took a little longer than expected to get down here."

"That's ok," Hermione sighed contentedly. All the pressures of the previous few weeks and months seemed to lift from her shoulders as she and Remus wandered around admiring the scenery.

"That's the gamekeeper's hut over there. Hagrid's alright, but never, I repeat never eat any of his food. You'll break your all your teeth trying. Oh... it looks like he's got the pumpkins already growing for the Halloween feast in October. Shame we won't be here for it."

Hermione's eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"I'm pretty sure those are the biggest pumpkins I've ever seen in my life. Can we get closer to go and have a quick look at them?"

Remus shrugged.

"Sure, I don't see why not."

They walked themselves up towards Hagrid's enormous vegetable patch, admiring all the fruits and vegetables grown to enormous proportions in order to feed the ever-growing number of students.

Feeling incredibly calm and at peace with the world, Hermione bent over various plants, and felt the texture of the odd leaf, and sniffed at another. Happy to let her roam around and relax, Remus sat to the side and took great pleasure in simply observing Hermione.

That was, until he saw her body turn completely rigid after rubbing one of the herbs between her fingers before gently putting it up to her nose to sniff it.

"Hermione!" he called out, immediately rushing over to her be by her side. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

Her eyes rolled back into her head, and her body went completely slack in his arms.

He carefully lowered her down to the ground before pulling out his wand, and using a levitating spell to carry her back up to the castle.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sorry for the cliffhanger! I know its been ages since I updated, but we're getting very close to the end of the story now, and I'm really excited. I love your feedback, so let me know what you think in the form of review!<strong>_


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Verschwunden**

**Missing**

Remus watched with wide eyes as Hermione hand shakily reached for the cup of water. He was immediately at her side, propping the pillows up behind her in the bed so that she could sit up and take a sip.

Her face was pale and drawn, so much so that it made her brown eyes seem almost black in contrast. She handed the cup back to Remus after drinking a small amount, and sank back down into the yielding surface of the bed.

"You don't have to stay," she said to Remus in a quiet voice as she closed her eyes.

"I know that I should probably get back to the others, but I want to stay here with you."

He reached just slightly under the sheets, seeking out her hand with his.

"You looked after me when I wasn't well, and I want to return the favour."

Hermione smiled, letting out a small sigh of contentment through her slightly opened lips. She could feel her body relax as Remus' other arm rested just above her head so that he could run his fingers through her curls. The fingers of his first hand remained firmly locked around her fingers as his thumb made gentle circles across the top of the hand which he held.

A brisk clacking sound could be heard before the dividers shielding their privacy were pulled apart to reveal Madam Pomfrey. She looked ready to attack any person who had dared set foot near her patient, but her face immediately softened when she saw that it was Remus. It took on an expression of what Remus could only describe as pity when she spoke to him.

"Mr Lupin, I will have to ask you to leave for a few moments. Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with Hermione."

Hearing this, Hermione opened her eyes and propped herself up against the pillows once more.

"Remus can stay," she said to Madam Pomfrey as she tightened her grip on his hand.

Shaking her head slightly, she moved to the side so that the dignified form of Professor Dumbledore would be able to pass.

"Hello Miss Granger, Mr Lupin," Dumbledore said as he inclined his head towards them slightly. "I believe that you wished to speak to me."

Hermione nodded her head with fervour, a burst of energy having pervaded her body when she saw the Headmaster. She would finally be able to speak about what happened.

"Yes, well, Remus may have to fill in some of the gaps, because I'm not entirely sure of what happened. All I know is that I remember something. That is, I remember a spell..."

"A spell?" inquired Dumbledore, his snowy eyebrows almost disappearing up towards his silver hairline.

"Yes, the spell that was used to err... bring me here," she said, still not wanting Remus to find out that she had been brought here from what was technically the future.

Dumbledore seemed to understand what she was insinuating, because he pressed no further on this, only asking what the spell was.

"It sounded like _tempus narrabo_"

"And that is all you remember?" Dumbledore pushed on.

"Yes... unfortunately I don't see any faces, or any other clues that might give away a bit more information. I still don't even know who did it, but the voice did sound rather raspy and masculine," replied Hermione with what sounded to Remus like a defeated tone.

Dumbledore sighed, rubbing his hand through his beard several times.

"Do you remember what you were doing before this? Were there any events which precipitated these sudden recollections?"

"Well, that is where Remus comes in..." Hermione trailed off, looking at her boyfriend as he was sitting at her bedside. "I can't remember what I was doing... well, I do remember that we were out in the grounds, near the gamekeeper's hut... and then, I don't know."

She continued to look at Remus, a helpless expression flooding across her face.

"She was wandering around Hagrid's veggie patch, and then she kind of dropped to the ground... collapsed completely."

"That is quite odd. I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing occurring previously. Is that all you can remember?"

"Yes, sir," replied Hermione and Remus in unison.

Dumbledore nodded, before speaking once more.

"In that case, I shall let you rest or rather I believe Misters Potter and Black are waiting by the door. I have a feeling they may want to visit."

Hermione let out a small chuckle whilst Remus removed some of the dividers and placed them against the wall alongside Hermione's bed to allow more room for their new guests. James and Sirius immediately bounded in with James encompassing Hermione in a gentle hug, unsure of whether or not he might cause injury with his actions.

"It's okay James," Hermione giggled, sensing what he was doing. "I'm not going to break."

"Yeah, I know," replied James before putting his head down slightly and ruffling his hair. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," replied Hermione, diligently ignoring the knowing look on James' face. "I think I just need to rest for a little while, and maybe do a bit of reading to pass the time. Perhaps one of you could bring some books down from my room while I am here."

Hermione took this opportunity to look at James, hoping that he would get the hint she was trying to give him. She wanted him to bring her some of the time travel books she had been reading when she had first arrived to Hogwarts. Now that she remembered the spell, she may be able to find something in one of the books which would help her to get back home.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

It had been several days since Madam Pomfrey had deemed Hermione healthy enough to be released from the hospital wing. In that time she had diligently begun to re-read some of the more informative books on time travel, however, much to her consternation, she was still yet to find anything which could be of any use.

She was still no closer to getting home when she heard a knock on the door of the Room of Requirement. Remus was due any minute however, he did not bother knocking anymore. A second later the door clicked open and James' head popped through the door.

"Hey, Hermione!"

Hermione moved her head out of the book she was currently invested in to look at James with absolute confusion.

"Hello... I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here? I was expecting Remus to come around."

James let out a small sigh that did not go unnoticed by Hermione.

"I know," he said. "That's why I'm here. He asked me to tell you that he couldn't make it for your date this evening."

"Okay... why not?" asked Hermione, feeling a sense of panic rise within her. "Is he alright? Has something happened?"

"No, nothing's happened," soothed James. "Something has just come up, and he can't make it today."

Hermione was still not entirely convinced by James, and even though she let the matter rest, she could not help but think of all the things which could have possibly gone wrong. These thoughts ranged from detention, to yet another bullying session thanks to Remus' personal bully, Rowle. Detention seemed like the most unlikely option.

"He is alright, isn't he?" Hermione couldn't stop herself from asking once more.

"Yeah, he'll be fine," said James, not liking where this conversation was heading.

"Then why can't you tell me where he is, or what he is doing? You obviously know."

James shook his head at her before answering.

"Don't make me argue with you Hermione..."

"We don't have to argue, you can just tell me why he won't be here. Why won't you just say it?"

James quirked an eyebrow back up at Hermione.

"Why don't you tell him that home for you is a little further than what he thinks... like almost thirty years further..."

Hermione's face immediately darkened at James' response.

"I'm stuck between two of my friends, Hermione, please don't make it harder than what it already is," said James, signalling that if Hermione knew what was good for her, she would stop talking immediately.

As much as Hermione wanted to perpetuate the conversation, she let the matter rest for the moment. It was hardly fair to argue with James when he was only trying to respect the wishes of one of his nearest and dearest friends.

"I'm going to head off. Remus said that he would be around to see you in a couple of days or so," said James, closing the matter once and for all.

Biting her tongue at numerous retorts, Hermione simply waved goodbye to James and attempted to get back to her book.

Hermione did not realise how much she enjoyed her little date nights with Remus until today. Even though James had explicitly told her to let the matter rest, she could not help but think of the reasons why Remus would not be able to see her for a _couple of days_.

The only thing that kept running backwards and forwards through her mind was the bully. He had been laying low for far too long, and Hermione was almost certain that he had attacked Remus once more. A couple of days was ample time to recover from injuries that may have resulted from it, particularly if he would go and see Madam Pomfrey for a few remedies.

Feeling increasingly restless, Hermione wished that it was safe for her to leave the Room and find out exactly what had been going on.

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><p><em><strong>Read and review, please xx<strong>_


	16. Chapter 15

_**I decided to put this chapter up a little early. Hope you enjoy!**_

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 15: Glasscherben<span>**

**Shards of Glass**

Remus winced as the heavy oak door of the Room of Requirement shut behind him – not because of the injuries he now possessed, but because it made more noise than what he had intended. Now Hermione would wake up scared and then almost certainly be angry with him.

James had said that she hadn't exactly been in the best mood when he had seen her and had to pass his message on. Yet, Remus could hardly blame her. She had every right to be angry when he had been so vague with her. It was for her own safety that he did not tell her what kind of a monster he really was during the full moon.

"Who's there?" a shaky voice came out of the dark. Remus could just about make out one of the pokers from the fireplace seemingly holding itself aloft in the dark. It moved forwards slightly, and this allowed enough light from the dying embers of the fire to illuminate that it was in fact Hermione holding the iron poker in the air, ready to strike.

"Relax, Hermione," said Remus, in the calmest voice which he could muster. "It's only me; please don't hit me with that."

Hermione lowered the poker, but her gaze did not shift.

"Oh, I thought that you weren't going to be able to come over until tomorrow morning. What are you doing? It's well past midnight."

Remus shrugged his shoulder as best as he could given the shooting pain which travelled across the bruise that was swiftly forming across his back.

"It was my turn to patrol the corridors tonight..." his voice slowly died away as he thought about the best way to let Hermione know that he would need her help to heal where he couldn't quite reach on his back. He could have asked one of the other Marauders, but he did not want them knowing that _it_ had happened again. Sirius and James in particular would have gone completely mental and wanted to beat the lights out of Rowle, and Remus did not have the physical strength to restrain them both at once. Madam Pomfrey could have also helped, but she would have asked too many questions.

"What's wrong?" he heard Hermione ask, her voice losing all sleepiness as she sensed his hesitation.

"Ah, that's a very good question..." Remus trailed off again.

"Remus," Hermione reproached. "Tell me what is going on. Where were you the other day when we were supposed to have our date?"

In the absence of a wand, Hermione used a box of muggle matches to light a single taper and use this to light all the lamps across her lounge room. Turning to face Remus, it was only in this light that she was able to see how dishevelled his clothes were. In fact, she could see a hint of purple across the side of Remus' neck, moving down towards his back.

"I knew it..." she muttered, stepping closer towards him. "I am going to kill James."

"No, don't hate James. He doesn't know about this."

"Then why did you send him to cancel our date the other day. You don't mean to say that you've been hiding these injuries for days?"

Hermione mentally planned a painful death for James whilst she waited for Remus to explain himself.

"I haven't been hiding any injuries from James, or from anyone else for that matter. At least I haven't seen him yet to decide whether or not I want to tell him. Rowle only did this about fifteen minutes ago. I missed our date on Friday because of something entirely different and unrelated."

"Well, what was it?"

"Hermione... if I could tell you, I would. But I can't."

Hermione felt anger effervesce from within her, and yet she still took his wand from his hand and motioned for him to take his shirt off so that she would be able to heal his wounds. Remus shivered slightly as he felt a coolness trickle against his back where Hermione rested the tip of the wand on the bruised parts of his back and shoulders. After a minute or two of this, she allowed him to pull his shirt back on, satisfied that her attempts at healing had been successful.

"Why can't you tell me?"

It seemed as though the emotional hurt was coming through stronger than the physical hurt when Remus looked at Hermione.

"Please don't beg me to tell you something I can't."

"And I'm just supposed to accept that, am I?" asked Hermione, not sure if she was just angry at a lost date with Remus, his injuries or what was seeming to be a lack of trust in her.

"I do the same for you," replied Remus, his voice rising slightly as he began to get annoyed at the hypocrisy that Hermione was not willing to acknowledge. He stretched his shoulders back, testing out the recently repaired muscles, taking a step forward he realised that the pain in his shoulder was only masking the real level of pain within his left leg. As he took a step, he seemed to momentarily lose his balance. Reaching forward, he grabbed the first thing that he could reach.

Unfortunately it was the rickety little table on which Hermione kept the various pots of herbs he had brought her. Alone, it was not sturdy enough to support his weight and so it came crashing down as Remus regained his balance with it. He watched on in horror as the table was not the only thing which came crashing down.

Instinctively he reached out to grab Hermione's body, stopping her head from hitting the solid floor before manoeuvring his wand to point at his hurt leg. He quickly muttered one of the healing spells he had heard Hermione use before he attempted to help Hermione regain consciousness.

Where there were previously only splinters, there were now fine shards of glass. The previously impenetrable glass ball Hermione imagined to be holding all her memories had exploded with the force of a bomb, thereby revealing what she had been keeping from herself.

Her mind was whirring at a pace faster than what she had ever experienced, and she only had fleeting moments to acknowledge the presence of various scenes before they were taken away and replaced with new images depicting her past.

_"What are you doing here?"_

_The gravelly voice was coming from behind her, and Hermione had to resist the urge to jump into the air when she heard it. She must not show weakness._

_Instead, Hermione stood up to her full height, and with her wand clenched tightly in her right hand, she spoke with the most authority that she could muster._

_"What you're doing is wrong!"_

_Her voice reverberated across the room, mingling with the brilliant white light that seemed to be emanating from the bell jar at the far end of the room._

_She felt the firm pressure of his hand grasping her around the wrist. In one fluid movement, he spun her around so that he had the advantage of being able to tower of her._

_"Wrong, is it? Wrong to serve my master? To prove myself loyal? I'll be rewarded above all the others, because I would be the one to reverse all the damage!"_

_He spat on the ground, and Hermione had to move her foot away, swiftly, before the foul-smelling slime could hit it._

_Hermione, however, did not back down. He may have been a foot taller than what she was, but she had not let him know that his strength on her left arm was futile. She lifted her other arm, so that her wand was pointed directly at the self-confessed Death Eater, and he did not even have the chance to blink._

_"Incarcerous!"_

_Thin cords shot out of Hermione's wand, and the Death Eater was bound to floor, effectively severing his grip from Hermione._

_"The aurors are on their way," she said, wand still pointing at the head of the man._

_The more the man wriggled, the more the stench rolled off him and into Hermione's nostrils._

_"You think that Harry Potter, the Golden Boy with his cronies, will be able to stop me?"_

_Hermione looked down at his oversized frame with contempt one last time, ears pricked for other sounds that she might be able to use as clues._

_All that could be heard was the monotonous sound of many ticking clocks. Each of them hung on the wall; each giving no more information than the one next to it._

_Her eyes kept swivelling around the room, looking for something she could use to distract him._

_Finally, the sound of many feet running invaded her ears. They stopped abruptly just outside of the door, and it swung open to reveal Harry and Ron, wands aloft._

_"Mione, you're ok..." Ron breathed as he rushed forward to help with the arrest of the man._

_Hermione stood back, contemplating what a close call it had been._

_Harry stood with her, watching closely as his students worked._

_"You'll pay for this!" shouted the man, as Harry hooked his arm around Hermione's waist to lead her out of the Department of Mysteries._

_"He was sick..." said Hermione, who up until that point not realised that she had been trembling._

_She did, however, feel Ron move up beside her and take her hand in his._

_"It's ok...you're safe now."_

_"He was using muggles as guinea pigs for his experiments."_

_"What kind of experiments?" asked Harry, suddenly looking very serious. "Did it have anything to do with what he was doing in that room tonight?"_

_Hermione nodded._

_"He was sending the muggles back in time... trying to... it didn't work...they've been dying... Harry... torture..."_

_Her speech came out in gasps as the enormity of what this man had been doing, hit her._

_Harry took one look at her and knew that they would not be getting any answers out of her tonight._

_"We'll take her to your mum's" he said to Ron, as he wrapped his travelling cloak over her now visibly trembling frame._

_With a resounding pop they were gone, entirely unaware of the revulsion brewing inside Conrad Rowle._

It was then that Hermione found herself on the floor, Remus trying to hold her up in a half-sitting, half-standing position; his face as pale as the moon.

"Hermione? Open your eyes for me!"

Hermione tried to put her hands on the ground so that she would be able to push herself back to a standing position; however, she found that she couldn't.

"Don't try to get up Hermione," she heard Remus' voice close to her ear. "I'm going to lay you back down on the ground... don't touch the plant. I think it might be poisonous. I'm going to get Madam Pomfrey."

"It's not the plant," replied Hermione, noting how shaky her voice had become as she sat herself properly onto the floor.

"What do you mean?" he said, a perplexed tone entering his voice as he lowered himself to sit behind Hermione so that she could lean against his body in support.

"Well... it is the plant...but it's not poison...oh, I don't know how to explain it," she cried out, her voice becoming more exasperated with every attempt.

Remus ran his hands gently along Hermione's arms where they were resting against his knees. He could feel her muscles repeatedly tense and un-tense as they sat in silence. He pressed a kiss to the crown on her head, knowing that it was something that always calmed her down when she was stressed.

"What happened to me?" she asked. "Just then, what happened? How did I end up on the floor?"

"I don't know really," said Remus after a short pause. "I bumped the table over there, and it caused some of the pots to fall and break. You kind of stared at the mess on the floor for a minute before you went completely rigid... it was like you were having a fit, or something...I tried to catch you before you hit your head on the floor. It was like what happened at Hagrid's hut, but worse."

Hermione nodded, trying her best to absorb all of this new information and link it to all that was going on inside her brain.

"Why did you do that? Are you feeling ill? What happened?" Remus implored Hermione.

"I remembered," Hermione replied, her voice full of the shock and awe which she was experiencing. "I remembered _everything_. That's what happened."

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><p><em><strong>Don't forget to review!<strong>_


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Accepting**

**Verständnisvoll**

"Remus, for the last time, I will be fine!" Hermione cried out, more exasperated than ever. "I just need to get to Professor Dumbledore without being seen."

"Can't you wait until after curfew? All the other students would have gone to bed, and you would be free to go around the castle as you pleased."

Hermione sighed, rubbing her fingers against her temples.

"No, it can't wait. This is a major breakthrough in the research which Dumbledore wanted, and the sooner he knows about it the better. Please, you have to help me Remus."

Remus put his head in his hands, rubbing away at the tiredness of his closed eyes with the tips of his fingers. His shoulders were sagging downwards as he did this, and Hermione could almost see the cogs of his brain turning through the turmoil she knew she was putting him through.

"You don't know what kind of risk this is imposing on you... imposing on us," he let one final huff of air out of his mouth. "I just wish you would tell me why."

Hermione felt her heart sink at this, knowing that she could never tell him the whole truth. It would ruin too much of a future which was bleak at best. She could have had a chance at making it better, perhaps even fix it, but where was the guarantee that it would work? How could she justify her actions?

"Please, Remus?" she repeated.

There was something in Hermione's tone which made Remus look up at her. He could see the anguish in her face, and he was sure that this is what compelled him to do what he did.

"Promise me that you won't leave the room yet," he said, reaching forward to grasp her forearms in his hands. "Stay here until I come back."

Looking into his calming brown eyes, Hermione felt some of the tension in her body drain towards her feet.

"I'll stay," she said, her voice much softer than what it had previously been.

Remus lips curved upward slightly into a smile.

"I'll be back as fast as I can," he said, gently pressing his lips against her cheek in a kiss. "I love you."

Hermione fought to keep herself calm at his admission. Given the fact that he was no more agitated than before he had said those words; Hermione was not entirely sure that he had consciously made the decision to say them. Any previous joy she would have felt at hearing those words now made her heart ache.

Wanting to scream out to him that she loved him too, the logical part of her brain was taking over as it always did in these kinds of situations, and she kept her mouth tightly shut as she watched him turn and jog out of the Room.

She knew how to get home now, and by 'home' she meant the turn of the twentieth century. Well, not entirely, but now that she thought about it, of course she hadn't been able to find any information in any of the books. Rowle had created the sick and twisted spell himself.

Hermione's limbs felt like they had turned to jelly as her mind finally allowed her to sift through her memories and create a proper timeline. It only served to add a little poison to the metaphorical knife in stomach that the very person whom had tormented her in the future was the very person who was tormenting Remus in the present.

However, no sooner than she had contemplated this, another harrowing though crossed her already overloaded mind.

Rowle had been using muggles as guinea pigs to test his own brand of dark magic. He had been successful in sending them back in time, however, at that point, he had very little control over which time period he could send them to. More often than not, they were sent back to medieval ages, where they would be burned for witchcraft; or sent back to prehistoric times where they had no chance of survival against the dinosaurs and other mega fauna of the time. There was absolutely no evidence to suggest that she would be able to successfully get back to her old life.

The buzzing of thoughts in Hermione's mind got so loud at one point that she did not hear the door click open once more. Rapidly blinking several times at the sudden intrusion, she relaxed any muscles that she had tensed when she realised that it was only Remus that had re-entered the room; however, several parts of him seemed to be missing, and this only caused Hermione's heart to beat rapidly once more before she realised what he was holding in his arms.

"You have the Invisibility Cloak?" she inquired, slightly in awe. Of course, she now knew that it existed, and that in this time period James was its rightful owner; however, seeing something that was so much a part of her own time now firmly juxtaposed against this time was a little unnerving. It was like the two worlds colliding once more, and she was not sure how she was dealing with it.

In sight of recent revelations, every little piece of information seemed to hold so much more significance now that she was sure of the larger picture. She only hoped that she was piecing everything together correctly, and that what she was recollecting was the truth.

"How do you know about the Invisibility Cloak?" asked Remus, eyes wide in astonishment.

Immediately Hermione realised her blunder. Remus was still in the dark about her time travel. He did not know of the number of times she had protected herself under that exact cloak with Harry and Ron. He did not know that that cloak was actually one of the Deathly Hallows. Dumbledore may have had an inkling; but he would not have let any suspicions pass onto his students.

"Oh... ummm," Hermione thought hard and fast to create a simple lie which would deter Remus from asking anymore awkward questions. "I did a bit of reading after our date where you blindfolded me. I figured it was a cloak of invisibility after you covered me with something that made me disappear completely. The blindfold had slipped a bit and I was able to see it."

She silently held her breath, hoping that her lie made enough sense. She hated having to do it, but in light of recent events, it was the least of her worries. To her immense relief, Remus seemed to accept her answer.

"Well, anyway, this is how we are going to get you to Dumbledore's office without being seen. We will have to worry about what the password is when we get there."

Hermione nodded and stood to walk towards Remus, arms aloft, ready to hug him. Her head nestled gently against his chest as he completed the embrace, and Hermione loathed every fibre in her body for what she knew she was going to end up doing to this wonderful man.

"Thank you, Remus. You don't know what you've done for me, or how amazing you are."

She felt Remus' arms grip her body tighter against him as he spoke his reply.

"You're the amazing one. Whatever you're doing for Dumbledore, I just hope it's worth it. I'm not entirely stupid. I know what's happening outside the castle and I know that Dumbledore is doing his best to enlist people to fight. Just promise me one thing?"

"What?" asked Hermione in a soft voice, looking up towards his face as he spoke.

"Promise me that when you've finished whatever you can't tell me you're doing, you'll come back and we can relax and focus on ourselves for a little while. My NEWTs will be over then, and we will have the whole summer holidays ahead of us to do whatever we like. I can keep you safe."

Hermione's heart leapt up into her throat, knowing that she could never make such a promise. However, it was what he said next that truly made her want to dissolve into a puddle of tears.

"I meant what I said earlier... I love you, Hermione."

Standing on the tips of her toes, Hermione captured his lips with her own for the briefest of kisses.

"I love you too, Remus. That's why I have to do this. Do me a really big favour, and don't follow me to see Dumbledore. This is something that I need to do on my own."


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: It Is Our Choices**

**Unsere Entscheidungen**

Hermione could hear her shoes gently clicking against the solid stone floor as she made her way through the castle towards Dumbledore's office. It was late in the evening and close to curfew, so she hoped that she wouldn't come across anyone in her travels that might get suspicious. It would perhaps be slightly unnerving to hear the rapid clicks of a person walking, and yet see nobody there.

Now that Hermione had her memory back she was able to navigate her way around the castle exactly as she had as a student. She knew of all the corridors, secret passageways and moving staircases which would get her there the quickest. Despite her fast pace, she was barely short of breath in any way when she finally skidded to a halt in front of the stone gargoyle which guarded the Headmaster's office from unwanted intruders.

Professor Dumbledore had not given her a password this week however; she knew the running theme concerning passwords.

"Sherbert Lemon?" she asked the gargoyle.

He did not move.

"Cockroach cluster? Fizzing Whizbee's?"

Again, the gargoyle did not budge an inch.

"I'm running out of ideas here. Unless the password is something completely random and absurd like Apple Bon Bons, I suggest you move out of the way!" said Hermione in a rather exasperated tone, suddenly jumping back slightly as the stone gargoyle did indeed move out of the way at the words 'apple bon bons'.

Letting out a huff of annoyance, Hermione bolted up the stairs two at a time as they materialised in front of her. Coming in front of the heavy wooden door, she felt fear coursing through her for the first time.

The very moment she had been waiting weeks for was now eventuating, and it came with the kind of feeling that made her fingertips shake, and brow feel moist. She had developed a life here, and had people here who loved her and cared for her.

In the future, she had developed a bit of a romantic relationship with Ron; however the constant disagreements and Ron's propensity to have Hermione do everything for him as his mother had once done, was wearying. She loved Ron, she truly did, but now it had morphed to the love that came with years of friendship and shared experiences. She loved Harry as well, and he loved her in return, but with the same intensity that had always been a part of their friendship.

What else did she have over there?

She had her law enforcement job at the Ministry of Magic. She had an apartment where she lived alone with her plants.

Of course, she had her others friends and her parents, but due to the nature of her spell, would they have even noticed her absence?

More than a few weeks of amnesia had served to emotionally detach Hermione from all of that. She had spent many nights wondering what her old life was like before she remembered its reality. She had imagined having an almost idyllic lifestyle, but now as she stood poised with her hand in the air about to knock on the door to Dumbledore's office, she realised how foolish she had been.

Before she could confuse her thoughts any more, she allowed her hand to make contact with the wood several times.

The door seemed to swing open of its own accord, and Albus Dumbledore's deep voice seemed to resonate from within.

"Come in."

Hermione did as she was bid, walking much slower than what she had to actually get to the office in the first place.

"Hermione, what a pleasant surprise!" exclaimed Dumbledore, his tone much lighter than what it had been previously.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Professor," asked Hermione somewhat cautiously. It was not until she saw Dumbledore in front of her that she realised that he had in fact been dead in her time. Seeing him so healthy and jovial was unnerving to say the least.

"Am I right in guessing that you have something somewhat distressing to speak with me about?" he asked, blue eyes piercing right through Hermione's brown ones.

"Err, yes. That would be correct," replied Hermione, looking away as quickly as possible without seeming awkward, keeping in mind of the fact that Dumbledore was a skilled Legilimens.

Dumbledore did not say anything in reply, instead choosing to remain silent so that Hermione could gather her thoughts and answer in her own time.

"Well, it is quite similar to what happened down by the Gamekeeper's Hut," said Hermione, looking down at her lap where she was fiddling with the cuticles of her nails. "Something triggered my memory... but this time, it was uh, slightly more involved."

"Involved in what way?" said Dumbledore rather sharply. "Do you have any more information that we may be able to use?"

"Yes," breathed Hermione. "Far more than what I had ever thought... you see, sir, I come from a time where Lord Voldemort no longer exists."

Hermione was sure that she could see a glimmer of triumph in the eyes of her headmaster; however, it was quickly replaced with a cold and calculating expression.

"Please, I implore you to explain yourself further. Is it something which is achievable in the near future?"

"Professor, I don't think you need me to tell you that there is no simple answer to this. I cannot be the saviour that you want me to be. My being here, and telling you this has perhaps already altered potential outcomes. There is no telling what has changed because of my time travel. What happened in my time is not guaranteed to happen again. However, I can give you a few clues."

Dumbledore relaxed back into his chair, fingertips of one hand touching the corresponding fingertips of the other in a prayer position.

"Go on," he encouraged her. "You have my undivided attention."

Hermione quickly thought through the various ways in which she would be able to give Dumbledore some hints as to what he was up against in the future, without actually saying it. It was a curious mixture of absolute torture and intense anger that ran through Hermione's veins in the present, knowing exactly what would soon blight the lives of those whom she had grown to love in this time period.

"Sybil Trewlawny will be a valuable resource to you. Listen to what she has to say... Sirius Black will be framed for a crime he did not commit... do not be tempted by evidence, and I mean that in more ways than one (it was at this point which Hermione glanced at the folded fabric of the invisibility cloak where it sat on her lap)... And finally, do not be judgemental of those with the dark mark. Allegiances will change."

Dumbledore sighed, and closed his eyes for a moment to process all that Hermione had told him. Finally, after a minute or so of silence, he opened his eyes once more, and focused them on Hermione.

"I don't suppose you have anything more explicit to tell me?"

"Nothing I am willing to share. If there is one thing that I have learned whilst being here, is that tampering too much with time will leave you with more challenges that what you set out with."

"How true," mused Dumbledore. "I daresay you have figured out how to, er, make your way home. I suppose that is the best way which I can put it."

"Well actually, Professor, this is where I might need some help from you. There is a reason that I have never been able to find anything within research... the spell that was used, was actually created in my time period, by a person who is a student on Hogwarts in this time period. A person who was also a Death Eater in my time period."

Dumbledore's face took on a grave expression at this point, clearly not pleased with the idea that one of his students had taken on the Dark Mark. However, Hermione did also notice that he did not seem surprised by this news either.

"Current seventh-year student, Conrad Rowle decided that he would enact his revenge on me by sending me back in time. In my time, I had uncovered a number of cases where he was using dark magic against muggles. That is, he was sending them back in time. At the time, I deduced that he wanted to eventually send himself back in time to be some kind of hero and save his Master from his death. However, I soon learned that the spell was essentially a tool of mass murder. It was not successful enough, and muggles were being killed in his experiments. After I uncovered his indiscretions, he wanted revenge. He knew exactly what was happening to those on whom he had used the spell before, and I suppose he would think that I would suffer the same fate and that he would be rid of me forever. In a cruel twist of fate, I think I am the only person on which the spell has actually been successful."

Dumbledore had sat remarkably still for the duration of Hermione's explanation, only moving at the end to conjure a glass of water for Hermione to drink as her voice go hoarse towards the end.

Mumbling a quick thank you to Dumbledore, Hermione took a small sip from the glass of water.

"We know that the spell used was _tempus narrabo_. I think that some kind of counter-curse would be all that we need to send me back to my time. The only issue we have now is how to create the counter-curse."


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Phase Eins**

**Step One**

Hermione had assumed that Dumbledore, with his great mind and infinite wisdom, would be able to create a counter-curse within hours, and she would be back home before she had the chance to pack. However, she soon learned that this was not the case, at all.

It had been exactly two weeks since Hermione had heard even a whisper from the Headmaster.

What angered her even more was the fact that she had no choice but to bottle up her emotions because she could never reveal the true extent of her past to her new friends, the Marauders, and most especially from within this bunch, Remus. With all the recent revelations which Hermione had uncovered, her brain was now running in overdrive. She had been unable to still her thoughts for several days despite Remus' attempts to calm her down.

At first, it manifested itself as an overall restlessness she had been unable to concentrate on one task for very long before she got too frustrated with it and moved onto something else. Then she progressed to that dark place in her mind from she had only recently escaped. It was that place where she would lie in bed each morning and stare at the ceiling, counting the cracks which separated one block of stone from another, not wanting to release herself from the sheets.

It was the place where she felt utterly drained of all energy, yet at the same time, she felt completely consumed by it.

Yet again, odd things began to start happening around her with no conscious effort on her part. On one particular morning, all the embossed, gold-coloured titles of books had disappeared from their spines on the bookshelf. Hermione did not know _Hogwarts: A History_ from _Secrets of the Darkest Art_, and it worried her to no end.

All but one flowerpot had shattered when Remus had knocked over the rickety table in her living area. Most of the soil had spilled out of this remaining pot, effectively killing whatever had been growing inside of it; however, Hermione was sure that she could see the tender green shoots of a new plant beginning to poke through the soil. However, it was not a shoot of the parsley which had been growing previously. Instead, it had morphed into thyme – the very herb which Hermione deduced had brought back her memory when she smelled it.

Remus had taken to visiting Hermione overnight, sleeping beside her in bed with his arms firmly wrapped around her waist as he attempted to calm her. Despite herself, Hermione rather enjoyed these evenings. There was something incredibly comforting and appealing about having a muscularly-toned and shirtless Remus curled up to her side. There were many mornings where Hermione would almost want to beg for time to slow down so that she could spend a few more minutes of peace with a softly snoring Remus beside her, running her fingers through the soft waves of his fair hair. She always seemed to sleep a little better after she had been able to gently trace one of her fingers along one of the pale scars across his back.

Now that she had her memory restored, she knew of Remus' lycanthropy. She did not tell him that she knew this, knowing that it was a painful subject for him – however, she no longer questioned any cancelled dates or prolonged absences. He would tell her in his own time.

Even though Hermione had more information than ever before regarding her time travel, she was still no closer to finding a way back home, and she couldn't have been more frustrated with this.

In actual fact, it became more and more evident to Hermione that she needed a want. She could not go on for much longer in her agitated state, without using magic. Also, there was very little she could do by means of producing a counter-curse if she did not have a wand with which to do it.

She was laying in bed, very early one morning, mulling over these thoughts when she felt Remus shift beside her.

"Morning," he rasped, throat dry from a night of good sleep. "Did you get much sleep last night?"

His body was relaxed but Hermione felt a wave of guilt flow through her stomach when she saw the concern in his eyes.

"I think I got a few hours, but I'll be okay," she replied, wanting to dispel any anxiety he had over her.

"That's good. Let me know if your insomnia gets too bad. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey will be able to give you something for it."

Hermione nodded.

"I will."

"That's my girl," he said softly, gently pressing his lips against hers.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Remus, and I hate to kill the mood, but don't you have an exam to study for today?"

She quirked an eyebrow up in Remus' direction.

Remus laughed, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend's torso, pulling her closer to him.

"Yes, I do. That's why I brought my books with me. We can work simultaneously. I'll study my things, and you can study yours."

"That sounds like an excellent plan," replied Hermione, returning the kiss her had given her before.

**HPHPHPHPHPHP**

Studying together had proved to be more distracting for Remus than what he originally thought. He would spend vast stretches of time curled up, sitting across from Hermione on the floor with his textbook inform of him; however, the words on the page were no more than a jumble of letters which no longer made sense. Instead, he would peer over the edge of the book, completely transfixed on Hermione.

Hermione appeared to be having a similar problem because she caught him out far too many times, and would respond by wadding up a spare bit of parchment and lobbing it across the room at his head. But this did not stop Remus from noticing that what started out as feverish scrawling across the page had dulled to the occasional scratch of the quill as Hermione made notes.

Finally after a prolonged silence where there was not even a single scratch made on parchment, Hermione finally spoke.

"Remus?"

"Hmmm?"

"I was wondering if you would be able to do me a favour, and take me to Diagon Alley sometime next week?"

Remus look up at her in confusion.

"Diagon Alley?"

"Yes. I'm sure I could get Dumbledore to give you permission, but I need to go so that I can purchase a wand. I've never gone this long without one, since I was eleven, and you've been around me long enough to know that it's becoming increasingly difficult to function without one."

"Alright, we can do that – but what happened to your old one? Can't you pop back home quickly to get it?"

Hermione wished it were that easy.

"it's not that simple. I need a wand to be able to get back home, and unfortunately in this case, I can't just borrow one of someone."

Despite the innumerable questions running through Remus' mind, he agreed and it was within the week that he and Hermione were walking the familiar cobbled streets of Diagon Alley, in search of Ollivanders.

After a brief conversation with Dumbledore, they had decided that it would be safe enough for Hermione to quickly drop into Ollivanders, purchase a wand and make it back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore even agreed to owl Mr Ollivander and ask him to open the shop early one morning for Hermione so that she could be as discreet as possible.

Upon entering the tiny, cramped shop Hermione had a number of her senses attacked with memories of buying her very first wand as an eleven year old.

She had no clue then what her life would turn out to be like. She barely knew of the existence of magic, let alone the part that it would play in destroying and rebuilding her life.

Grasping Remus' hand for comfort she greeted the slightly bleary-eyed Mr Ollivander.

"Good morning, sir. I am Hermione Granger. I believe Professor Dumbledore wrote to you about me selecting a wand today."

"Of course," said Mr Ollivander, perking up immediately at Hermione's introduction of herself.

Her immediately drew out a silver measuring tape which began taking Hermione's measurements exactly where she stood, in front of the shop counter. It was only after it began measuring the webbing between Hermione's fingers that the wand-maker told the tape to stop. He walked along many dusty aisles within the store, selecting various slim boxes seemingly at random, all the while quietly muttering to himself as he did so.

Setting the boxes down on the counter in front of Hermione, he took the cardboard lid from the first box, and picking up the wand from within, he cautiously handed it to Hermione.

"Willow and unicorn hair," he said, as she swirled it through the air.

When nothing happened, he took the wand from her, quickly replacing it with another.

"Cherry and dragon heartstring?"

This time when Hermione swished the wand, an enormous puff of grey smoke seemed to completely obscure their vision for several moments. When the smoke had sufficiently cleared for them to be able to see again, Ollivander took this wand back as well, replacing it with yet another wand for Hermione to test out.

"Holly and phoenix feather?"

Hermione almost gasped aloud at this choice, knowing that this would be Harry's future wand. She prayed and begged that this would not be the wand that would choose her.

Fortunately, there was no reaction from the wand, and Hermione allowed herself to breathe freely once more.

A small collection of wands was beginning to build up on the counter. Hermione was growing impatient with this whole charade, and she had to resist the very strong urge to throw all the cast-offs into Ollivander's face and demand her ten-and-three-quarter inch vine wood with dragon heartstring.

Despite his general attitude of being kind and supportive of Hermione in her time of need, Remus had now chosen to sit off to the side of the shop in a chair, becoming thoroughly engrossed in the fingernails of his left hand. Hermione could not blame him. The entire process may have been exciting for an eleven-year-old; however, she was ten years off the mark, and it held the same level of excitement which peeling potatoes did.

Finally, after almost an hour of testing wands, Hermione felt the familiar warmth associated with holding her vine and dragon heartstring wand. She couldn't be more elated, and sent a beaming smile towards Remus when he swooped up and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Apparently Ollivander was thinking along similar lines because Hermione was almost positive that she could hear him saying 'thank Merlin for that!' under his breath.

Walking out of the shop, hand in hand with Remus, Hermione felt her mood lift considerably. For the first time in months she felt mildly productive, and she would finally be able to properly produce magic.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Unwiderruflich**

**Irrevocable**

"I will now call this meeting to order!"

The tightly woven carpet that covered the floor of the Headmaster's office did nothing to dull the sound of Professor Dumbledore's voice as it rang out above the din of the room's many occupants.

Those who were standing crowded among Dumbledore's many possessions immediately ceased their chatter. Every face turned to look at the Headmaster without question.

"Thank you. I wish to welcome each of you to this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. I believe that a number of you have some news to impart. Arabella, perhaps we should start with you and the muggle perspective? Then, we may be able to link your findings to the other information we come across."

Despite Dumbledore's kind smile and gentle encouragement for her to speak, Arabella Figg seemed to lose her voice for a minute as the others in the group turned their attention towards her.

Clearing her throat, she began to address them.

"Umm, err... yes. The muggles seemed to have noticed some strange events lately. The weatherman on their news programmes seems to be at a loss in describing the fog that seems to have lingered for the past few weeks, especially now that it is summer. I daresay the dementors are breeding again, and this is what they are seeing."

Dumbledore nodded at her contribution.

"Thank you, I believe that your assumption is correct, Arabella. I have also received word that Voldemort is attempting to cajole the dementors from Azkaban into his every growing army. It does not need to be said how disastrous the consequences would be should this occur."

A general murmur of assent went around the room following a collective shudder at Dumbledore's audacity involving his use of You-Know-Who's name.

"Does any person have anything to add to this?" Dumbledore pressed on, ignoring the reactions of the others. "Emmeline, perhaps you have seen or heard something in your line of work with the Minister?"

Emmeline Vance, a timid-looking witch who was by no means to be crossed, stepped forward. It took only the low tone of her voice to calm the room once more.

"I cannot say that I have had any reports of dementors breeding, however, I can assure you that the Ministry is, for the moment, safe from too much infiltration. There are a few stragglers here and there which we are keeping a close eye on; however, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that it is kept as untouched as possible."

Emmeline was not the kind of witch who exaggerated or embellished her words; therefore Dumbledore trusted that for the minute, the Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold was not working against the efforts of the Order.

After thanking Emmeline for her speech, Dumbledore addressed the group once more.

"I trust that you have all been working away at recruiting new members. I understand that it is a task which is easier said than done, especially in the present climate, however, it is nonetheless a necessary task..."

Dumbledore continued to address the members about less vital matters, and in no time at all the clock had struck eight in the evening. Fawkes hooted in time with the clock, alerting Dumbledore to the fact that it would be best to adjourn the meeting so that the members would be able to get home safely.

Standing at the door, he individually bade his guests a good evening.

Finally, the only person left loitering was Hagrid. He had agreed to guide all the others to the gates of the grounds so that each member would be able to apparate home without too much difficulty. However, just before he shook the Headmaster's hand, he pulled Dumbledore aside whispering urgently.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, are yer sure that all these people can be trusted? Wha' makes yer so sure that they won' go blabbin' to every Tom, Dick and Harry down at the Leaky Cauldron after a few pints?"

Dumbledore looked at Rubeus Hagrid with a grave expression on his face. Hagrid almost immediately paled, mentally chastising himself for even daring to question the great Albus Dumbledore whom he admired so much. He ought to have known better than to do that.

"I have my sources, Hagrid. Good evening."

Taking that as his cue to leave, Hagrid walked out the door, quietly muttering to himself about how stupid he had been.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

A timid knock sounded at the door to the Headmaster's study. Seemingly opening of its own accord, it revealed the stone staircase leading to the office, perplexing Dumbledore completely. He expected to see a person there, after all, this may be Hogwarts, but a door did not have arms to knock on itself.

Standing from his chair, he went to investigate further, however, was almost startled out of his mind when he saw Hermione appear almost out of mid air.

"Miss Granger!" he exclaimed. "I understand that you are a talented witch but I must ask you to refrain from using disillusionment charms in the future. I must say that you gave me a bit of a fright."

Turning slightly pink at the Headmaster's response, Hermione quickly stowed her arms away behind her back, and out of sight.

"I can't say that I've used a disillusionment charm recently, Professor," admitted Hermione, more and more colour adding to her face as she spoke.

"What do you mean?" asked Dumbledore, his expression turning serious all of a sudden.

"Well, you have always insisted that I not be seen, especially around Hogwarts. With the exception of a few people here, and Mr Ollivander, I needed to be able to get around to a few places within the castle, without being seen. Your office is one of these places, so Remus suggested that I use this rather nifty cloak of James' to get around. My appearance is concealed so well that someone would have to bump into me to even know that I was there at all. I have been very careful and there hasn't been anybody wiser for it."

Hermione noticed a brilliant glint form in Dumbledore's eyes as she spoke, and her heart sank to her shoes as she recognised what she had truly done.

"_Accio!"_

Dumbledore attempted to summon the cloak, but it did not budge from Hermione's arms.

Eyes widening, Dumbledore motioned for Hermione to enter his office before he closed the door firmly behind her.

"Where did James come across such an intriguing artefact?" Dumbledore asked, seemingly fighting to keep his voice light.

Feeling cornered, Hermione sensed her palms begin to get damp and her mouth dry.

"I can't say that I am able to answer your question, sir."

Dumbledore's blue eyes peered into Hermione's in such a way that she found herself unable to blink.

"Are you quite sure that is your final answer on the matter?"

"I did hear a rumour..." Hermione trailed off, unable to contain herself for much longer. "It may be that it is a family heirloom, of sorts."

Dumbledore sat down at his desk, inviting Hermione to sit on the chair opposite.

"A family heirloom?" Dumbledore attempted to confirm the new findings despite the fact that he knew his questioning was causing Hermione discomfort.

In some ways, she thought it was rather fortunate that Dumbledore had found out about the invisibility cloak after Hermione had regained her memory. She now knew the exact repercussions of her answers.

In her timeline, Dumbledore had not found out about the cloak until just before the death of Lily and James. He was in possession of the cloak on the night which they had died.

Although she recognised it as a wild thought, Hermione could not help but wonder about the validity of Trelawney's prophecy and whether its actualisation would be hastened by this turn of events.

Dumbledore's face seemed to soften in Hermione's continued silence.

"There is more to this than what even I have assumed, isn't there?" he asked her, voice somewhat kinder as he averted his eyes.

"Yes," whispered Hermione, desperately wishing that she had planned her door knocking a fraction of a second later than what it had been.

"I can't promise that I will drop the matter entirely, however, you did ask to meet with me, so I assume that the matter you wished to discuss with me is far more significant."

"Err, yes," replied Hermione, seizing the opportunity of a change in topic. "Well, basically, I was wondering if you had made any progress in terms of a counter-curse to send me home?"

She watched as Dumbledore's face morphed once more, however, this time it was a curious mixture of concern and what Hermione suspected to be pity.

"Ah, yes," said Dumbledore clearing his throat before he continued. "That is a matter which I have been turning over in my head for quite some time and I think you already suspected the answer I have hypothesised."

Any relief she had previously felt drained out of Hermione completely. It was one thing to suspect horrible news, but it was quite another to have it confirmed. Swallowing what little saliva remained in her mouth, Hermione nodded for Dumbledore to continue.

"The timeline in which you lived has been changed irrevocably. There is not telling what your future is now, or whether it still even exists."

"This is exactly what I was afraid of," replied Hermione in a small voice. It was all she could do to not start hyperventilating on the spot. Dumbledore, on the other hand, continued to speak.

"It would almost be unwise of me to suggest an attempt to send you back. Unfortunately, time does not seem to work that way, and the process would almost surely kill you. Indeed it is a miracle you are sitting before me today."

Hermione nodded. She was usually far too pragmatic in these kinds of situations to cry, however, she could feel the sting of fresh tears along her bottom eyelid.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but it seems as though you may have to get a little more comfortable in your current situation. I cannot envision any success out of this unless you make the present time your new home."


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Dilemma**

The evening which Hermione received the news from Dumbledore was the first evening she had ever lay in Remus' arms and truly lamented the twists and turns which life had forced upon her. The couple lay on her bed, with Hermione's head resting in the crook made by Remus' elbow as she sobbed.

Remus, although supportive, was not yet privy to the reason for Hermione's upset. Lifting her head up so that he could look at her face, he smoothed his thumb across her cheeks, attempting to soothe her.

"I wish you would let me in, and tell me what is going on. Maybe there is something I can do to help. I stand by what I said when you were still researching, you don't have to tell me everything, but you've got to give me something."

He wrapped his arms even more tightly around her shaking body, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Hermione felt terrible for doing this to Remus, especially when his own face was more pale than usual and the dark circles had returned under his eyes once more.

"I'm so sorry, but I can't," she hiccupped. "I'm sworn to secrecy. You don't understand the repercussions of this all..."

Remus felt a little anger building up within him. It seemed that he was always the one having to succumb when an issue arose. Why was he the one who always had to give in?

"Of course I don't understand, Hermione, but I'm trying to. I'm really trying to."

Hermione was practically convulsing in his arms as she cried.

"I know you're trying...but...we're all not allowed to say anything..."

"We're?" asked Remus, perplexed by Hermione's wording. "Who else knows stuff apart from Dumbledore and yourself?"

Hermione's sobs ceased almost immediately, as she realised her mistake. There was no way that she could rationalise that statement without it sounding like a complete lie. Mouth hanging open in a silent gasp, she turned her head to look at Remus' face. Her body was still shaking, but now it was more out of fear than upset.

Remus' features, on the other hand were contorted into a mixture of confusion, disbelief and more than a little anger.

"Poppy always knew..."

Remus was not buying it for a minute. He knew that Hermione would not be so scared if she only had to admit information about Poppy.

"Hermione, who else?"

Hermione stayed silent. She knew that as soon as she said his name, Remus would jump to conclusions because he was always a fraction jealous of his best friend. It was Remus that thought there was something going on between them in the beginning, and even in her current state Hermione had enough insight into his character to know that his insecurities would get the better of him once more.

She felt his grip tighten on her upper arms and knew that she would have to tell him sooner or later.

"It was James. James knows everything."

Remus' grip slackened completely, and she felt him move away and sit up so that his back was propped up by the wooden head of the bed.

"James, knows everything? What do you mean by _everything_, Hermione? You are able to tell him, and you can't even trust your own boyfriend?"

Hermione put her hands to her face, using her palms to wipe away what was left of her tears. This was exactly why she didn't want to say anything in the first place.

Remus had lived in the shadow of his best friends for his whole life. James had it all in his opinion, and now, he even had his girlfriend it seemed.

"When were you going to tell me?" Remus visibly seemed a lot calmer, but there was no disguising how tense his voice was and the fact that his arms were now crossed tightly over his chest.

Hermione moved herself up the bed so that she was in a similar position, albeit letting her arms rest by her sides.

"I didn't want to tell you," she admitted. "I knew you would react like this, and I was hoping to avoid that kind of a confrontation."

"So you were going to lie to me?"

Remus seemed to be filled with a lot of questions, each of which pained Hermione both to hear and have to answer.

"I didn't mean to lie; I never told you anything untruthful. I was honest from the start, telling you that I wasn't able to share anything that happened with my meetings with Dumbledore."

Remus raised an eyebrow in her direction, rapid fire questions never ceasing.

"Whatever this is, it is a big part of your life, and you didn't trust me enough to share it. What does that say about us? Merlin, I feel like I'm the girl in the relationship half the time. I practically have to force your feelings out of you."

Hermione was now beyond upset at Remus' last remark, and practically exploded in his face. How dare he attack her when she was feeling so vulnerable?

"How can you say that to me? This is not different to the fact that you have adamantly refused to tell me that you are in fact a werewolf!"

Remus was visibly shocked that Hermione knew this piece of information about him, however, his features soon contorted into pure anger.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to think that I was some kind of freak," he practically screamed at her. "Surely you would know the stigma that is attached to being something like me, or do you come from some idyllic place where werewolves have been eradicated from the face of the Earth?"

Hermione could see it again. It was all that insecurity that had been bottled up until now, exploding with the force of a bomb. However, she could not help but feel fury. After all the time they had spent together, surely Remus would know that she would never turn her back on him for being a werewolf.

"I've stayed by your side for months, knowing full well what you are," she spat. "I had an inkling that something was up from the very first time you cancelled a date. You've always kept things hidden from me, for goodness sake Remus, I didn't even know you were being attacked by Rowle unless you hadn't come in here all bruised and battered!"

"That may well be true, but even now that you know all that about me, you refuse to tell me your secrets. You expect honesty from me, and yet you won't give it yourself. It's an eye for an eye, Hermione," Remus was shouting now, the volume of his voice having risen considerably.

"I don't tell you because I can't!" Hermione screeched back, pulling at her hair in frustration. "I am absolutely forbidden to. The only reason James knows is because he was eavesdropping on Dumbledore and I on the day I arrived. It's better than you are kept in the dark about this Remus, safer even."

"How is it better to have you keep lying to me indefinitely?" Remus demanded of Hermione.

"Please, you have to trust me, Remus," said Hermione, tears beginning to form in her eyes once more as she edged herself closer to her boyfriend. "I've asked an awful lot of you, I know that but please, if you don't trust me, trust that Dumbledore trusts me."

Remus looked down at his lap as he spoke, anguish spilling into every word that he spoke.

"I don't know if I can, Hermione. I just don't know."


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Macht**

**Power**

"Hermione, I am sure you know that it is not possible for you to reside in the Room of Requirement indefinitely?"

Hermione nodded glumly.

"Yes, I know."

Dumbledore nodded at her with a bright smile, despite her despondent attitude.

"Then I think you would agree to move into a safe house in the township of Godric's Hollow."

Hermione's head shot up at the mention of the name of the town.

"No," she said immediately without really thinking about what Dumbledore was saying to her. "I can't go there."

"Why ever not?" asked Dumbledore, genuinely perplexed at her answer. "Most witches and wizards would simply ecstatic to live in such a privileged area, full of people who are alike."

Hermione could not help but compare Dumbledore to a parent who was trying to gently tell their adult child that perhaps it was time to move out of the family home, all the while mentally making plans for the pool table and computer that would inevitably take their place.

"Too many bad memories..." Hermione trailed off, remembering back to her teenage years when she, Ron and Harry were on the run. This was where her journey really began. This was where her life truly changed to the path she was on now. It was all because of that evil creature that she was sitting here in Dumbledore's office in 1977, two years before she was even meant to be born.

"I can sense that this is perhaps a sensitive topic for you, Hermione, but I will have to ask you to extrapolate your answer. Has there been a particular event which would prompt you to give me such a curt response?"

Hermione could not help but blush at Dumbledore's response. She felt a bit of a fool for having seemed so rude.

She apologised before sitting in silence for a few moments, not quite sure of where to start an explanation. She was not sure that she would be able to give any evidence at all, after all, how does a person sum up half their life into a few short paragraphs.

"Perhaps, I am asking too much of you?" Dumbledore probed gently.

Hermione shook her head at Dumbledore. She knew that she owed him something for the way in which she was behaving.

"In that case, I think you would see reason when I say that it is unhealthy for you to remain where you are. There is no telling how long it would take to try and figure out a way for you to get back home, in fact, we have already discussed the absolute_ impossibility_ of it. I would hate to see someone as intelligent as you waste your talent and ability; therefore, I implore you to at least try to create an identity for yourself, here, in this time."

Hermione had barely had the chance to get rid of the red from her cheeks before Dumbledore had praised her in his spiel and set them on fire once more.

"What do you mean by 'create an identity' for myself?" she asked the Headmaster, still feeling a little bewildered as she tried to ignore his compliments to her.

Dumbledore looked down at the young woman, his half-moon spectacles slipping slightly on his crooked nose as he bent forward.

"I mean, that you need to go out into the world you now find yourself in, and live in it. This is your chance to be the person you want to be. Granted, the world is most likely to be more dangerous than the world from which you came, however by chance of knowing me, I can offer you a safe place to live that is protected completely by a Fidelius Charm. All you would need to do is nominate a secret keeper."

Hermione sat pondering Dumbledore's request. No, it was not quite a request. Yet again he was almost giving her an impossible choice, and hence his request was no longer such. It was a directive, just like when he had asked her to stay in the Room of Requirement.

Many thoughts played around in Hermione's head, including one which highlighted Dumbledore's tendency towards narcissism at times. He would never demand, always request, and yet the outcomes always seemed to suit him best. Yes, Hermione was safe in the Room of Requirement, but she only stayed there because she served a purpose to Dumbledore. Yes, she had no doubt that she would remain safe in Godric's Hollow, despite what might happen there on Halloween night in a just a couple of years; however, Dumbledore would also be there, keeping an eye on the 'experiment' as she had dubbed herself over the past couple of days. She was still an invaluable source of information to him.

She knew who could be trusted. She knew what was safe. She knew who would not be able to withstand the pressure. There were so many things that she knew about this time and these people, and yet she was still stuck in this limbo of deciding what was going to help save her friends, and what was not.

Still, she could not help but laugh internally at the fact Dumbledore thought that this time was the more dangerous. If he could glimpse into Hermione's past for only a moment, he would see how very wrong he was in saying that.

"Hermione? Do you have an answer for me?"

Dumbledore's voice jolted her out of her reverie.

"Sorry," she shook her head like a dog trying to rid its ears of water, as if this mere act would be able to straighten out her thoughts.

"I will accept," she said, despite the fact that every fibre of her conscience was vehemently protesting.

Dumbledore's face brightened considerably when Hermione gave her answer, and she could see him sit a little straighter in his chair.

"In that case, we can begin plans. Do you have any person in mind that would be either trustworthy as a secret keeper, or at the very least willing to take on such a responsibility?"

Hermione was in a dilemma once again.

If Dumbledore had asked her a week ago, she would have immediately named Remus as her secret keeper, now she was not so sure. It would involve telling him everything about her, and after their previous argument, Remus had not even tried to have any contact with her at all. It would not be a good time to ask him to do something as important as this.

The only people who knew of her existence were the Marauders, Poppy and Dumbledore. Hermione was not close enough to Poppy to ask her of that. Peter was out of the question. He had yet to visit Hermione at all, save for when she first met him. Hermione could not help but think that his lack of visits were of no great loss to her life. Sirius was the next option; however, he would become secret keeper for the Potter's in due course. The only chance she really had was James.

The very James who had become a dear friend to her in this time, just as his son had in Hermione's time.

He knew of where she had come from, and there would be no explanations or hysterics. He may be a prankster at heart, but he had a strong sense of duty and she knew that he would keep her safe.

"James Potter," was the name she gave to Dumbledore. He eyed her for only a moment before seemingly accepting her decision with a nod of his head.

"Thank you," he said, his voice suddenly serious. "I will collaborate with Filius, and we will create a plan to move you to the town as soon as possible. In the meantime, there are a few other matters I wish to discuss regarding Severus Snape."

It was in small amount of dialogue with Dumbledore that Hermione knew that her fate was sealed. Dumbledore could exploit her for all that she was worth to him, because her knowledge was his power.


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: In Sicherheit**

**Safe**

"The exams are only days away – hours really, when you think about it!" Remus exclaimed to his best friends as they stood before him, hands on their hips, demanding a reason for Remus' absence during Hermione's move to Godric's Hollow.

Sirius rolled his eyes at his friend.

"Remus, in case it escaped your attention, James and I shall be joining you for the exams, and we are not currently in a state of panic."

It was Remus' turn to be disgruntled.

"I don't think I have ever seen either of you willingly crack open a book for study. Your current attitude is not too far removed from your usual self. You might not care about your final grades, but I am counting on them to be able to get a decent job to support myself with when we leave school."

James knew that Remus was alluding to the immense wealth that the Potter family had accumulated over the centuries, and how there was a lack of such resources in Remus' own family tree. It hurt James that deep down Remus was bothered by such matters; however, he also knew that this was not the only reason for his friend's current non-compliance.

"Remus, is it about Hermione? Did something happen between you two?"

The volume of his voice was immediately hushed, Remus looked away, and it was not due to the fourth years which had currently deposited themselves only a few feet away from the armchair Remus had positioned himself in, close to the now extinguished fire place of the Gryffindor common room.

A sudden change in demeanour only meant two things with Remus: trouble with Hermione, a full-moon was approaching. It was definitely not the latter. This had occurred the previous week. James decided that he would need to probe a little further, however, now was not the moment.

"Suit yourself," he said to Remus. "You know where we are if you change your mind. Personally, I thought that you would welcome approval from Dumbledore to get out of the grounds and get into town, but I guess I thought wrong."

He turned to walk out of the common room. Sirius followed suit, clapping his hand onto Remus' shoulder in sympathy, not really wanting to be the person to come between James and Remus.

It was several moments of Remus staring blankly out the window before he realised that his friends had left him on his own. They were going off the help Hermione move her belongings into a safe house in Godric's Hollow. According to James, Dumbledore had spent the best part of several weeks making sure that it would be completely impenetrable from the outside world, except for those who already knew it existed.

It did not need to be said that each of the Marauder's would be privy to the secret, and be able to visit Hermione at any time, and for this he was a little grateful. However, it upset him to no end that Hermione did not name him as secret keeper. He thought that Hermione trusted him. It Remus' mind it was either him or Dumbledore, but no. James had been made secret keeper in his place.

Remus thought that it was a rather bold move given that there was James' girlfriend Lily to consider as well. What would he tell her? Would she notice all the times that he would inevitably sneak out to see Hermione? Would she think the same infidelity which Remus initially suspected of the pair?

Remus did not think that Hermione was capable of such an act, but he no longer knew what to think. She still had not told him of the great secret which she had been keeping from him all this time.

Thoughts continued to swirl across Remus' mind, and he tried to snap his attention back to his study only to find that it was a complete waste of time altogether. There was no hope of getting any study done today, despite the close proximity of the NEWT exams.

It looked to be a beautiful late spring day judging by the view of the window. Perhaps it would be a little easier to think after he had gone for a little walk.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

"Wow, Hermione, I didn't think it was possible for someone to accumulate so much stuff in such a short space of time. James and I should have said no more often when you asked us to do a bit of shopping for you. It looks like we've spoiled you, and bought you far too much stuff."

Hermione gave a breathy laugh as she set a cardboard box down onto one of the wooden chairs that surrounded her new kitchen table.

"Ha ha, it definitely is your fault. I did not ask for at least half of this stuff, although I do appreciate the sentiment of a trick wand during the time I was lacking one, even if it was completely useless."

"You are very welcome, madam," replied James, giving a small bow. "We've got all the furniture and the boxes in; did you need any help unpacking anything before we head back to school?"

Hermione shook her head.

"I think I will be fine now, but thank you for all your help. I'll have to invite your around after your NEWTs are over as a congratulatory dinner. Sirius, you could bring Marlene, and James, you can bring Lily."

"What about Remus?" James could not help asking, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke.

"I suppose Remus could come along too," Hermione replied, her voice suddenly soft.

Sirius made a loud noise that sounded like he was clearing his throat.

"I'll, err, head outside for a minute... see if the daisies need watering," he said, stepping out of the room for a moment to give the pair some privacy.

Hermione turned her back to all of them, busying herself by restacking and opening a couple of boxes.

"Hermione?" James voice was as equally soft as what Hermione's had been a minute before, not wanting to disturb the stillness too much. Hermione chose not to respond.

"Hermione?" he asked again, his voice a little stronger this time as he moved to be closer to her.

"Yeah," she answered her voice a tad raspy.

"I asked Remus earlier today, and he didn't seem to want to tell me anything, but did something happen between you two that the rest of us don't know about? Are you and Remus okay?"

Hermione sighed, giving up all pretence that everything in her life was fine and dandy.

"To be honest with you, I have absolutely no idea what is happening with us. I told Remus that I knew about his being a werewolf..."

"You knew about that!" James exploded, eyebrows inching up towards his hairline.

"Yes, and I..."

"And you let me come up with all these lies about where Remus was every month?"

"Yes, but, I..."

"Wow, Hermione. I don't know whether or not to be disgusted that you would let me do that, or proud that you figured it out."

"Thank you, James. I'll take that as a compliment, now if you would just let me finish what I was saying."

James mumbled a quick sorry before falling silent so that Hermione could continue her explanation.

"Anyway, as I was saying... I told Remus that I knew about him being a werewolf, and he got upset that I hadn't shared my secret with him. He thought that it wasn't fair that you knew, and he didn't. I tried to explain that it all happened by chance, and that you were eavesdropping and all of that, but he wouldn't listen. I've betrayed him completely, and I feel really terrible for it."

Hermione felt James put his arms around her in a comforting hug. Suddenly feeling rather weak and vulnerable, she put her head into the crook of his neck, seeking the comfort that it would bring.

"Does he know about you being secret keeper?" Hermione raised her head so that she could speak to James once more.

"Yes, he knows," replied James after a protracted pause.

Hermione let her head drop into the palms of her hands, rubbing at her tired eyes with her fingers. Peering through the gaps between her fingers, she found her way over to a wooden crate, and sat herself on it. Her body felt overworked and exhausted, and her mind was spinning.

"James," she said, her voice making her sound as though she were close to tears. "What am I going to do?"

James moved to sit by her side, pulling her into a hug once more.

"He'll come round, Hermione. He usually does. You just have to give him some time to sort this out in his own way. In the meantime, remember that you are in a safe place, where no nasty death eaters will know you even exist."


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Prioritäten**

**Priorities**

"You may begin writing."

There was several minutes of pages being turned, quills being dipped into ink pots and scraping chairs before there was relative silence. Quills began to slowly scratch across the page, pausing frequently. Several coughs were expelled and there was the odd clicking sound as somebody would successfully bite through their nail in nervousness.

Remus took a deep breath and turned to the first page of the exam paper. He read the question three times in quick succession, making sure that he ascertained the correct meaning from the words before exhaling and putting his own quill in his hand to write his response.

Once he had written the first few sentences, he found that it became easier to create an answer in his mind and progress to putting it on the parchment. He glanced up at the clock, glad to find that he was staying on track. There would be plenty of time to check over his answers at the end.

Sneaking a glance to his left, Remus could see James hastily scribbling away at his own paper. Suppressing a smirk, he could not help but think of how James had played down the importance of having NEWTs, despite the fact that he was now as heavily engrossed in the exam as every other student in the room. Remus knew that Sirius would be on James' other side, however, he did not want to tempt fate and chance a look that far down the row of desks. He was sure that Sirius would be giving his own quill a good work-out.

James and Sirius were naturally intelligent wizards; there was no secret about that. If they only used their intelligence for good, then perhaps they would have spent far less time in detention. They did occasionally spent a bit of time helping Peter chug along with his own work, but that quarter of the Marauder's was making himself more and more unavailable to them. Remus could not figure out how he was spending all this time away from them, but if it meant that they did not have to listen to his whining then he considered that a bonus.

The remainder of the exam passed reasonably uneventfully, however, Remus was sure that this was mostly due to the vat of calming draught sitting out the front of all the desks in the Great Hall. The rows of goblets were being depleted with alarming speed throughout the course of the exam as some students would occasionally burst into a flood of tears. Remus was on the verge of asking for a sip of the potion as he approached the final, more difficult questions of the exam, however, he kept his mouth pressed into a thin line as he continued to write. He did not want to seem weak in front of the others, and succumbing to his emotions to the point of needed magical restraint seemed like a very weak thing to succumb to. After all, it was only an exam. This was the mantra he replayed in his head over the entire two hours he was perched at his desk.

Finally, Professor Tofty spoke again.

"Quills down, please! No talking, or you'll have your paper ripped up."

He raised his wand in the air, and each sheet of parchment wound tightly around itself into a scroll. Each scroll zoomed its way to the front of the Great Hall, creating a neat pyramid just in front of the now almost empty cauldron of calming draught.

Remus closed his eyes and let out one slow, drawn out breath.

He turned to look at his friends, returning their thumbs up with a pair of his own.

**HPHPHPHP**

"Thank goodness that's over!" said Sirius as the trio re-entered the Great Hall. They had spent the first hour post-exam sitting by the lake, enjoying the sun whilst they could before trooping back in for lunch.

"I have to admit," replied James, "I did work up an appetite after sitting around for a couple of hours staring at some parchment. Oooh, and it looks like I'll be having some of my favourite pork chops today."

Remus rolled his eyes at his friends' lack of enthusiasm towards study.

"It's a hard life you lead, isn't it?" he said, sarcasm dripping off his every word.

"Too right, Moony," said Sirius as he took a seat beside James at the Gryffindor table. "Now sit yourself down, and stop getting worked up. I had enough of the exam questions during the exam without you yapping away about it now. The exam is over; you can't change your answers, so why bother getting in a tizz about it?"

James turned to look at Sirius, swallowing his mouthful of mashed potato before raising his eyebrows at his friend.

"Getting in a 'tizz', did you say? _You_ have been spending far too much time with my mother. Her language seems to be rubbing off on you in the most unattractive manner."

Sirius laughed.

"Maybe I have been spending time with her. Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe she likes my company more than yours? I think I might be the better son in this instance."

After James had delivered a friendly punch in the arm to Sirius they all settled down to enjoy the good food which Hogwarts provided, putting the stress of exams firmly out of their minds. For once in his life, Remus was glad that his friends were relaxed enough to be able to lighten up almost any nerve-racking situation.

**HPHPHPHPHP**

Hermione looked around her new home, eyes scrutinising every nook and cranny for any unfinished work. She had underestimated how long it would take to set up her new home. It was a reasonably-sized three bedroom home which was certainly bigger than any other place she had lived in before.

Even a simple tidy-up of the place took longer than what she anticipated. However, now her eyes were peeled for any tasks which needed to be completed. She settled on the half-finished bookcase which was mostly assembled where it sat in the far corner of her lounge room. The only thing that was missing was some shelves, and a coat of paint to match the crimson of the remainder of the room. Perhaps a dark-coloured wood stain would suit it best.

She had decided that each room of the house would have a different colour assigned to it. The lounge room and dining area were practically combined, and they would each be a crimson red colour, not too dissimilar to the colours used in the Gryffindor common room.

The kitchen would be decorated in shades of vibrant yellow, and white. Presently, a plain white jug of bright yellow daffodils was sitting on the kitchen table, reminding Hermione that she still needed to select exactly which shade of yellow she wanted for the walls.

The theme of the bathroom was blue, complete with fluffy, midnight-blue coloured towels that were sitting ready for when she would get out of the shower each morning.

Each bedroom had its own theme as well. The first guest bedroom had pale green wallpaper that was highlighted with tiny baby pink flowers. The duvet on the bed matched this with pale pink and green stripes. The second guest bedroom was slightly more masculine as it was devoid of all colours with a black and white theme.

Hermione's own bedroom was decorated in varying shades of purple. Whilst the duvet in this room was an impractical white, the walls were a calming shade of lilac and there was a burst of colour of each of the bedside tables on which sat small vases of lavender. The scent permeated the air in the room making anyone who walked in instantly calm and relaxed. Hermione would have no issues getting to sleep in this bedroom, even when a myriad of thoughts would cross her mind just as she closed her eyes for the evening.

It was amazing how the brain worked.

It would spend the majority of the day plodding along, getting all the little jobs done with minimal effort, then bam! As soon as Hermione would tuck herself under the covers, it would kick into overdrive keeping her awake with what seemed like the worries of the whole world on some nights. However, fortunately it was not as bad as when she had been in the Room of Requirement.

Still, Dumbledore crossed her mind frequently. He had told her to make a life for herself, and that is what she was trying to do. There were still letters from him, asking for advice as he attempted to determine who was trustworthy.

Hermione's mind flickered across to her kitchen table where a piece of parchment currently sat. It was an invitation, of sorts. Or rather, more of a request she could not really refuse.

She was Dumbledore's only truly accurate source of information at present, and this was why he had owled her about attending the next meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. There was the issue of him keeping up appearances, so it would not be until after all the NEWT exams had been completed at Hogwarts. That gave Hermione a solid two weeks to formulate an adequate response to him.

Still, she could not help but feel like a debutante at a ball, being presented to society for the first time. She did not know how the others would take her sudden presence, however, she had the advantage of the other Marauder's being there on the contingency that they agreed to come when Dumbledore had invited them after their exams were complete. Having thought this through, she realised that there was probably only a zero-point-two percent chance that they would refuse. Their sense of duty, and hatred for anything to do with the dark arts lorded above any other emotion.

Hermione's only part to achieve was to make sure that Peter Pettigrew did not interfere. There were no doubts in Hermione's mind that he was already working for Voldemort, even if his friends did not realise it yet. Having him present at the meetings for the Order would only mean that he would have more information to pass on this his Master.

Hermione could not let this information get to Voldemort. It would allow him to gain the upper hand as he once had, and the mere thought of that made her limbs tingle in the most unpleasant way as they remembered the Cruciatus curse which Bellatrix had once subjected upon her.


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Beginn der versammlung**

**Calling Order**

There was already at least a dozen people already milling about the crowded bar. There was a great sense of camaraderie as they greeted each other warmly, seemingly knowing one another quite well.

Hermione could pick out a few of the faces. Aberforth was the most recognisable as he stood behind the bar, issuing each person with a drink as they walked by. The smell of goats in the bar was less pronounced than what it had once been, but Hermione still couldn't help wrinkle her nose a little at the faint smell of manure which seemed to emanate from the padded bar-stool she sat herself down on to people-watch. Molly and Arthur stood out rather remarkably thanks to their vivid hair colour, and Hermione was sure that she could detect a bit of extra plumpness around Molly. Fred and George would surely only be a few months old at this point in time.

Dumbledore had said that there would be a few new members present at tonight's meeting of the Order. Under Hermione's advice, he had recruited a few new members of the older generation in addition to those whom had just left school. James had owled Hermione earlier in the week to say that he would be there. Sirius had sent an owl along similar lines, but neither of them had made mention of Remus. Would he be present this evening?

The possibility of it made Hermione's stomach start tying itself in knots. She had not spoken to him since their argument, and Hermione was not sure how she would need to act if he did show up tonight. Would she pretend that it never happened, and they would go back to being friends? Or would he start to treat her with a cool indifference?

Just as the palms of her hands began to feel a bit damp, she heard the little bell above the door jingle a little. A warm gust of air brought in a few new faces, and amongst them was James; however, he was not alone. He had his arm around a pretty red-headed woman. Hermione only had to briefly lock eyes with her to know that this was Lily Evans. The couple made their way over to Hermione. James immediately let go of Lily to wrap his arms around Hermione in a hug, whilst Lily stood beside him, a polite smile on her face.

"Hermione! I'd like to meet my girlfriend, Lily. Lily, this is my friend Hermione. Don't let her young face deceive you, she's the one who is working those experiments for Dumbledore."

Comprehension seemed to dawn on Lily's face, and she moved forward to give Hermione a brief hug.

"It's lovely to meet you at last. James couldn't wait to get here so that he could introduce me," Lily chuckled, whilst James scowled.

"Yeah, well, Sirius will be here in a minute. He's just parking his bike outside," said James, attempting to divert the conversation.

Hermione nodded and smiled at him, not really knowing how to steer the conversation and make it even remotely interesting. Although she was comfortable with James, Lily was a new person in her life, and Hermione had spent so much time in the Room of Requirement that meeting new people seemed a little harder than what is previously had been.

Thankfully Lily seemed to sense Hermione's discomfort and attempted to engage her in conversation.

"So, Hermione, James has told me that you've been working quite closely with Dumbledore for the past few months. Is this your first meeting with the Order, or have you been here before?"

Hermione smiled at the young woman. Very polite and well-spoken, she seemed just as lovely as everyone had ever made her out to be. She could see why James, and even Severus Snape, would be attracted to her.

"It's actually my first meeting. I've been working with Dumbledore to try and recruit as many people as possible. There seems to be quite a turnout tonight."

"Oh, yes," replied Lily, "much more than what I expected. But I suppose that every person counts."

Hermione murmured her agreement, turning her head to see who had just opened the door and walked into the bar. Heart beating fast, she half-expected it to be Remus. Feeling half-disappointed and half-relieved to see that it was only Sirius, she waved her hand in the air to let him know where they were standing.

He quickly made his way over, giving Hermione and Lily a hug, and James a firm pat on the back.

"Is Remus coming along tonight?" Hermione could not help herself from asking. She winced slightly as she saw James and Sirius exchange a serious look. Never having seen them do that, Hermione grew nervous. Knowing that she would be here this evening, was he perhaps avoiding her?

"Remus couldn't make it tonight," replied Sirius softly. "He had other plans for this time of the month."

It took Hermione a second to realise what Sirius was actually insinuating, and her mouth silently made an 'O' shape as she understood.

The group was spared from any awkwardness as the door of the bar opened once more, and Albus Dumbledore stepped over the threshold. Immediately the atmosphere of the room changed, and the noise level decreased rather dramatically, although it was still not entirely silent. There were a few people who attempted to continue conversations with their friends however; they continued to look out the corner of their eyes, waiting to see what Dumbledore would do next.

Ignoring all the glances, Dumbledore strode through the bar with purpose, moving to speak with Aberforth. A few moments later, the sound of a bell ringing could be heard over the crowd, and finally everyone ceased to speak, turning their attention to Dumbledore.

"Good evening! I'm sure that you all have other important matters to attend to, so I wish to make this meeting as efficient as possible. The first item on the agenda concerns all the new members whom we see amongst our numbers. I would like to introduce to you the newest graduates of Hogwarts who have decided to join our cause. First we have Frank Longbottom."

Frank turned a lovely shade of pink as Dumbledore singled him out, giving a small wave to the crowd.

"We also have Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black and their friend, Hermione Granger."

They each nodded their heads in acknowledgement as Dumbledore introduced them.

"We have a few other members who were unable to make it this evening, Remus Lupin, Marlene McKinnon. Also, we have Arabella Figg who was unable to join us this evening, however it is through her that we have our first discussion point of this evening. There have been recent reports on the muggle news of the sharp increase in incidence of murders."

Every person in the entire bar was silent. Hermione had never seen attention so focused.

"She tells me that they have a tendency to fall into three categories. Those genuine cases where it has been a muggle attacking another muggle. There have been cases where cause of death has not been able to be determined. There were no signs of struggle, or even any malicious marks on the body. It seems that the person dropped dead of their own accord."

Dumbledore's incandescent blue eyes swept around the room, making sure that each person understood the message he was trying to get across.

"Then, there has also been a third category," he said, his voice deepening as his tone grew more serious and grave. "In this category, we see bodies which have been mutilated to the point where they can no longer be identified. I have been assured through various correspondents within the muggle law enforcement that it couldn't possibly be the work of muggles."

Hermione felt sick to her stomach at the mere thought of this.

It did not take much brain power at all to know that it was Death Eaters unleashing this kind of catastrophe and discord into the world.

"It is with this news that I implore you to take extra precautions regarding the safety of yourselves, and those around you. It takes very minimal effort to cast the odd protective enchantment around the homes nearest to your own. Also, if there are any other disturbances which sound like they may be the work of Voldemort, I request that you inform me urgently. Although there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to the occurrences at the moment, we may be able to distinguish patterns in the future."

Many faces seemed to look rather pale at Dumbledore's speech, and a few still had their hands grasped around their mouth in shock from when Dumbledore had used Voldemort's name.

"This brings me to my next topic. I am looking for number of volunteers who are willing to infiltrate various muggle services, and act as spies. Some of these roles will require you to maintain protection over various services. For example, Edgar Bones has already secured a position as extra protection for the muggle Prime Minister. Arabella Figg is heavily involved in various community activities..."

Although Dumbledore continued to speak, Hermione was sure that she heard Molly Weasley hissing at her husband.

"No, Arthur!"

Suppressing a giggle, Hermione turned her attention back to the meeting, wondering what jobs Dumbledore would be willing to give her now that she was attempting to assimilate back into society


	26. Chapter 25

_**Just a short update this week, but more to come next week. I am trying my hardest to update weekly, but life gets in the way. I have a bit of a busy time ahead of me as I finish university in a few weeks, but after that the only deadlines I have to worry about are my fanfic updates!**_

_**For those of you who ship Hermione with other people, I have recently posted a sequel to 'Legitimement Maries'. It is Fred+Hermione. Please don't hesitate to visit my profile for the link to read it.**_

**Chapter 25: Hoffnung**

**Hope**

"Conrad! You are being too careless!"

Thorfinn Rowle banged his fat fist upon the marble tabletop. A whiskey tumbler jumped up slightly from the impact, threatening to cover the entire surface with the amber liquid it contained.

"I am not being too careless," countered Conrad, not willing to concede to his elder brother's point.

Thorfinn brought his own face closer to Conrad's so that their eyes were level with one another's. His voice was hushed and menacing.

"Our side may be gaining the upper hand, but even the Dark Lord admits that Dumbledore is not stupid. He will be looking for any signs that we have _disrupted_ anything."

"Disrupted, eh?" questioned Conrad, picking up on Thorfinn's choice of words. "We do enjoy causing a bit of disruption, don't we?"

He laughed rather audibly, however his brother turned his mouth into a frown, furrowing his eyebrows close together.

"This is not something to laugh about. We all enjoy a little 'purging' every now and again, but suppose you were caught? What would you be laughing about then? We must wait for the Dark Lord to give us instruction. I suppose that this is all a product of your youth..."

Conrad's laughter immediately ceased.

"I am of age! Besides, you're not that much older than I am."

Thorfinn shook his head, sitting back down in his chair, across from Conrad.

"I am old enough to know better than to leave behind the remains of those filthy muggles. This is no small matter, Conrad. It has been in their newspapers. If our movements are being noticed by those ignorant muggles, then what will our society have to say?"

Conrad could not answer his brother, instead choosing to take a sip of the whiskey that remained in his glass.

"I have been thinking about how I may be able to be of service to the Dark Lord now that I am finished with Hogwarts..."

Conrad's voice trailed off as he turned his eyes towards Thorfinn, waiting for his reaction.

"You must wait for the Dark Lord's instructions," said Thorfinn simply, reiterating the point he made earlier.

Conrad swirled the last of the ice in his glass, staring at the liquid as the colour was diluted further by condensation. It seemed like he would never be able to win against his brother.

"But, just suppose that I came up with a way that I would be useful to him?"

"Then it would be your life on the line, not mine. I am not your decision-maker, Conrad. As you said, you are of age. It is not my responsibility to keep you safe, if you choose to put your own neck on the line."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Only a number of days had passed since the Order had met, and Hermione already felt overwhelmed by the workload which Dumbledore had impressed upon her. Although she had given him some ideas regarding the loyalties of certain people in the Wizarding community, she had focused on those which would be good candidates for the Order.

There was very limited mention of those who would do anything to sabotage their good efforts.

Hermione had mentally compiled a list, and was now in the process of transferring her thoughts onto parchment.

A number of names stood out to her immediately: Yaxley, Karkaroff, Barty Crouch Jr., Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange...

However, there were also a few names of people who still had the potential to be convinced otherwise. Hermione had noted two in particular.

Severus Snape had spent his entire school life being taunted and bullied to the point of inhumane cruelty. He was a broken man who was searching for something to redeem himself with. Perhaps his love for his childhood sweetheart, Lily, would be able to salvage what was left of him.

On the other hand there was Regulus Black. He was still a boy, but only just. In just a year he would be finishing school, and would secretly search for Slytherin's locket.

Hermione wondered how he figured out the horcruxs, and what lead him to being able to find the locket. Even Dumbledore had not been entirely sure about them. However, if he had once attempted to find such an object, with the intention of destroying it, then perhaps not all hope was lost.


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: Freunde**

**Friends**

The knocking at the door startled Hermione so much that she almost slopped her blistering hot cup of tea all over the front of her shirt.

Mentally cursing as she put the mug down on the coffee table, she went to answer the door with slight trepidation. For the moment, Dumbledore had placed the Fidelius Charm over the house, so Hermione was about ninety-percent sure that she knew the person who was knocking; however, there was that ten-percent part of her brain that was still paranoid that someone would find out her truth, and she would be attacked.

The person at the door knocked again, even louder this time. Shaking her head, she moved more quickly towards the door, opening it with conviction despite the fact that she was still slightly nervous.

"You ought to have more patience James," she said, once she had seen that there was no intruder, only one of her best friends.

"I've got plenty of patience," James countered with a hint of humour in his voice. "You're just too slow."

"Ha! Come on in, and make yourself comfortable. Although I'm sure that you don't need my instruction for that, you usually just waltz in and make yourself right at home."

James let out a chuckle as he followed Hermione down the hall and into the brightly lit kitchen.

"You always make me out to be some kind of intruder," he said, seating himself at the kitchen table whilst Hermione filled a copper kettle with water and put it on the stove top to heat.

"Maybe you should take the hint," replied Hermione, winking at James.

James shook his head in mock disdain before speaking once more.

"Just give me my cup of tea and be quiet. I have something to ask of you."

Hermione did as she was bid, actually silencing herself. It was not often that James had something important to ask of her, and more than anything, she was curious as to what was going on in that boy's head.

Quickly jogging over to the lounge room, she collected her own cup of tea before taking her seat at the kitchen table opposite of James. Clearing his throat, James began to speak.

"Lily and I were wondering if you would like to come out with us for lunch one day next week. Sirius will be there... and so will Remus."

Hermione immediately had her reservations about going to a group event where Remus would be present. She had recently made a point of ignoring him, and that meant declining invitations to places where he would be in attendance. Out of sight, out of mind was the rule that she was using.

"I don't know..." she immediately started to say, only to be interrupted by James.

"Please, Hermione. I know that Remus is going to be there, but I don't know what happened between the two of you. Last time I checked you were still together with him, but suddenly you weren't. He's refusing to say a single word about it, and by the looks of things you are thinking along the same lines."

Hermione was still unsure, and kept silent. James pressed on.

"Look – I know that it will be hard, but this is really important to me. I didn't invite you all to lunch for the sake of inviting you to lunch. The truth is that I love Lily, very much, and I want to marry her."

Hermione's eyes slid up to meet James'. There was a determined look there that Hermione knew she couldn't do anything to change. He was going to propose to Lily no matter what she said or did.

It wasn't that she didn't want them to get married, but getting married would put them one step closer to fulfilling the prophecy. It would mean that Voldemort would be one step closer to winning, and yet Hermione was no closer to finding a solution to any of her current problems.

Despite the maelstrom of thoughts in Hermione's head, James could not help but look at her with increasing intensity and expectancy.

"Please, Hermione? I don't just want to propose to her. You guys are still important to me, and I don't want her to feel uncomfortable around you all. That's why I want us to go out to lunch as a group, so that she can get to know everyone properly."

Hermione could not stand looking at James anymore, so she averted her eyes to the cup of tea that was still sitting in her hands.

"I'll come along," she replied in a low voice. Smiling at him she spoke again.

"I'm happy for you. You're really lucky to have found Lily."

Standing from his seat, James motioned for Hermione to do the same. He moved around the table, pulling her into a firm hug.

"Thank you," he replied. "It means the world to me to have you as one of my friends."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

James had certainly picked a lovely cafe for their lunch. The food was simple, but delicious, and the surrounding atmosphere only enhanced it.

The weather seemed to be giving one last burst of summer heat, and the warmth of the air in combination with their full bellies made everyone seem a little drowsy as they sipped the last of the wine in their glasses.

Everybody at the table obviously knew Lily from school. Remus and Lily had been prefects together, and had plenty to chat about. Hermione had met Lily just the once at the meeting for the Order of the Phoenix. James and Sirius were open and jovial with everyone. However, Hermione could not help but feel a little separated from everyone else.

She was fine with Sirius, but she did not know Lily all that well; and the only real memories she had of her were posthumous. James was a problem because he knew something about Hermione that the others did not know. What seemed like a bit of an inconvenience previously was now constantly at the back of every conversation that Hermione had with each of these people. Just like her irrational fear of the Fidelius charm failing, she was forever plagued by the thoughts that someone else would find out about the fact that she was from the future.

This is what made her so uncomfortable with Remus.

It was not that she didn't trust him - it was that she had betrayed him by not telling him the truth about herself. But if she did slip, and she did tell him, then she just would have betrayed herself, and that was a fact that she was not quite yet ready to face.

Sirius looked at the watch on his wrist.

"Oh bugger, it's four-thirty already, so much for only having lunch. We might as well just stay a little longer and just have some dinner here as well."

Hermione noticed how Lily put her hand over the top of James, giving it a gentle squeeze. She internally smiled at their closeness, and was happy that she and James had found happiness with one another, even if it may only be for a short while.

"I think that Lily and I might head off home," said James, taking Lily's hand completely in his.

"We had a lovely time, thank you all for coming along," Lily said, manners impeccable as ever, as she went around giving each person a brief hug to say goodbye.

"It was lovely," echoed Hermione despite herself. "We should do this again sometime."

Each person murmured their assent before heading off in the carious directions that would get them home.

Hermione turned to do the same however she felt the firm pressure of a hand on her wrist, holding her back. Looking back to see the owner of the hand, she was surprised to see Remus.

"Do you have a minute?" he asked her, eyes looking everywhere but her face.

Hermione nodded, not quite sure if she would be able to trust her voice.

"Umm, I know that when we last saw each other it wasn't on the best terms. I don't think that today went horribly wrong between us, so I was wondering if you were free sometime to just have a bit of a chat."

Remus did not have to acknowledge the topic of conversation for Hermione to know what they would be chatting about, and so with this information ready in her brain she was slightly hesitant in replying.

"Yeah, I guess that's okay. I've got a bit of free time in the next week."

Remus looked incredibly relieved at her answer, almost as though he expected this exchange to be much more difficult than what it turned out to be.

"Great, I'll owl you with some times and you can get back to me when you're ready."

"Ok, see you soon," replied Hermione, wondering if she would ever be ready.


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Vergeben und Vergessen

Forgive and Forget

_A bit of a shorter chapter today! For the sake of my curiosity, what do you all think will happen next? Comment with your predictions, and we shall see how accurate you are!_

Hermione stared at the parchment that was resting in her hands. The strokes of black ink were still dark and fresh. Clearly they had been written just that morning. The pen strokes seemed very deliberate and it was the absolute antithesis to how Hermione was currently feeling.

She had consented to this in person, and it seemed easy at the time to just agree, but now that she looked down at the cold, hard facts it was a lot more difficult than what she anticipated.

He wanted to see her in the afternoon. This afternoon.

Her sweaty palms were beginning to stain the edges of the parchment so she put it down onto her lap, eyes never leaving the words that were written on it.

Remus would be expecting a reply soon, and she would have to give it.

Walking slowly over to her desk, she reached over and grabbed a quill. Quickly dipping it into the ink, she wrote a neat yes on the back of the letter, and attached it back onto the owl's leg. The owl gave a brief hoot of acknowledgement as Hermione opened the front door to allow it to fly back to its owner.

Sighing to herself, she closed the door and forced herself back inside to get ready. Her original plans for the day included sneaking out for a bit of grocery shopping, but those plans were now scuppered. She was meeting Remus for coffee at eleven.

HPHPHPHPHP

Her eyes were opened wide as she walked into the cafe, slightly surprised that Remus had picked a muggle cafe to meet her in. It was a pretty place, but Hermione ignored the decor. Instead her eyes focused on a table at the very back of the room.

Hermione could see Remus hunched over a magazine. He looked up as she approached, taking in her entire appearance.

"Hello, Remus," Hermione greeted him, suddenly feeling awkward. Should she hug him? Shake his hand?

Facing an internal dilemma for a few moments, Hermione's questions were soon answered when she felt Remus wrap his arms around her in a gentle hug. Not too distant, yet not too intimate. Perhaps he was as confused as she was?

"Hey, Hermione. Take a seat. I haven't ordered yet, is there anything that you would like?"

"A cappuccino, please," she requested before Remus approached the counter to order their drinks.

Hermione did not know what to do with herself whilst she waited for Remus to return. Sitting in silence, she played with her fingernails until Remus returned, bearing a table number.

"It shouldn't be any longer than about five minutes," he said to her with a smile as he took his seat.

"Thank you," she replied.

"How have you been?" he asked her. Apparently they would be making small talk first.

"I've been fine - just settling into my new house. What about you?"

"I've been okay," he replied. Hermione was not sure how much she believed him. The circles under his eyes were more pronounced than ever, and his skin looked like it hadn't seen the sun in several centuries.

When Remus had first brought up the idea of seeing each other to discuss things, she had hoped that it would be in a bit more of a private place. This cafe seemed to expose her far too much. However, she quickly realised that it did not matter where they discussed their private matters. She did not know where to start, or even what she wanted to say. Thankfully Remus got the ball rolling.

"I don't really know where to begin, except to say that I'm sorry for our last argument. I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand," he said, hazel eyes boring into her brown ones, desperately searching for a response.

Hermione was not sure what to give him.

"I'm sorry too," she finally replied. "I should have told you that I knew about what I knew, but something in me couldn't. I was upset that I had to find it out another way. It should have come from you."

Remus hung his head down, knowing that what she said was true.

He _should_ have told her about being a werewolf. Instead he blatantly lied to her, and even worse, he got others to lie for him. Still, what if he told her and she had left him? It didn't matter, she had left him anyway. He had lost the single best thing that had ever happened to him because he had been too insecure and too careless, but he couldn't help but still hold resentment towards Hermione.

"Are you able to tell me what you couldn't back then?" he asked of her, lifting his head so that he would be able to watch carefully for her response.

He saw her bite her lip and her brown eyes were clearly filled with worry. His heart felt heavy as the bitterness grew a little bigger within him.

"No," she said.

At least she had answered truthfully.

"Why?" was all that Remus could ask, not able to stop the anguish from entering his voice.

It was at this most inopportune moment that the waiter had decided to deposit their coffees on the table. He took away their table number, but not before casting a confused look towards a visibly distressed Remus.

Remus reached forward, taking a sip of his hot drink, waiting for Hermione to respond to the question. When she didn't he cleared his throat, putting the cup down and reaching his hands across the table to clasp hers within his.

"Why can't you tell me?" he asked again, the urgency more evident in his voice.

"Remus, we've already been through this. I can't tell you. It's too dangerous, especially that I'm now spending time away from Hogwarts. Please, trust me," Hermione implored, her voice low and pressing.

Standing up without having finished his drink, Remus looked at Hermione with what she supposed was a look of contempt.

"How can I trust you, when you refuse to trust me?"


	29. Chapter 28

_**A very short update this week, but it is deliberate. I'm giving you fair warning that there will be a few chapters that are ridiculously short, but they need to be, before some other stuff starts happening. **_

_**Apologies for not updating sooner, but I've been very sick recently. I'll try to update a couple of times this week to make up for the lack of updates, and this very short chapter.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 28: Terror<strong>

"Brothers' Rowle - how kind of you to join us."

Voldemort's eyes showed only their usual menace as he watched them seat themselves at the opposite end of the marble table.

"Apologies for our tardiness, Master," spoke Thorfinn. "We did not intend to be late, and beg for your forgiveness."

"Nonsense, I already know that it was not intended. In fact, you have arrived at the most opportune moment. We were just discussing who would be trustworthy enough to induct into our brethren. Perhaps your youngest brother, Christoffer would be of use?"

Conrad held onto the sigh of relief he wished to release. He was safe. They were safe.

"I am sure that Christoffer would be honoured, my Lord," replied Conrad, looking directly into the crimson iris' that others feared.

"Very well. In that case, I wish to draw attention to our newest members. We have fellow Slytherin Severus Snape. Beside him is Peter Pettigrew who promises me his loyalty."

Several cackles rose from the middle of the table, most notably from none other than Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Time will tell," she hooted, whilst Peter turned a very visible shade of cherry red.

"Indeed," replied Lord Voldemort, his voice smooth and even-toned. "However, we have more pressing matters to attend to. What news do we have on our current candidates?"

Voldemort attempted to hold his concentration towards Yaxley who was currently speaking, however, found his eyes inexplicably drawn to Severus. He felt that he would have to keep a closer eye on this one.

"What was that?" Voldemort suddenly raised himself from his ruminations. "That name."

"Lily, my Lord. Lily Evans."

Voldemort sat in silence for a few moments, thinking over this name. He rolled it around in his brain, hoping for some connection to be made.

"Evans is not a name of distinction."

He verbalised it as a statement, but yet it was shrouded in doubt to Voldemort.

"You are correct. Evans is indeed a muggleborn, my Lord," said Yaxley. "Newly graduated from Hogwarts."

"Then, if she is newly graduated, you may have heard of her, Severus? Peter?"

Peter only nodded his head, whilst Severus murmured his agreement.

"I can't imagine that either of you would have much to do with her given the fact that she is no more than a mudblood; however, you would have had to endure classes with her. Is she a talented witch?"

Voldemort watched Severus carefully as he spoke, looking for even the slightest change in demeanour.

His keen eye was rewarded by the subtlest of shifts in the raven-haired young man. His shoulders seemed to drop slightly, and his eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment, until he could blink it away. Yes, there was definitely more to this story.

"By other accounts, we must recruit her. Imagine the others that would follow in her footsteps!"

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"What is stopping her from joining us?"

"She is too noble and well-protected, by the Potter family. In short, she is too good and pure for us, despite her talent."

"Purity can be destroyed," Voldemort said rather simply, bringing his fingertips together so that he could rest his chin on them. "And so can James Potter."

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><p><em><strong>Don't forget to review!<strong>_


	30. Chapter 29

_**O. M. G. You get another update because I've been so mean over the past couple of weeks. It's an extra long one as well ;) Enjoy!**_

_**Don't forget to let me know what you think of it :) **_

**Chapter 29: Geheimnis**

**Secret**

_This skips forward in time a few months from the last chapter. For those keeping tabs, it is now September 1978._

The hem of Professor McGonagall's robes skimmed the floor as she paced in front of the Headmaster's desk.

"Albus, you know where he has been! Do you think it wise to allow him back in to the castle? Surely he would have an agenda of some kind."

Dumbledore's fingers remained interlaced, resting on the desk in front of him. His expression remained constant, only his mouth moving as he spoke.

"Of course he has an agenda, Minerva. Why else would he be wishing to see me?"

McGonagall looked flabbergasted, instantly stopping her feet moving. A loud slapping sound resounded across the office as the palms of her hands hit the solid wood of the desk. Fawkes ruffled his feathers slightly in shock, turning himself so that his plumage so that he could be hidden from the irate deputy headmistress.

"I am never one to speak ill of a student, Albus, but this man is no longer a student. He has joined their side. He will be acting on the orders of his master. Your concentration will only have to lapse for a second and he could have his wand out. You would be dead on the floor before you knew it."

Dumbledore allowed Professor McGonagall to finish venting her point of view before speaking once more.

"Minerva, I do not wish to seem rude, however, I must point out that Severus Snape sought out a meeting with only myself. If you do not wish to see him then that is of no consequence to me."

Minerva's nostrils flared as she inhaled deeply. He knuckles went white where she gripped at the desk.

"Very well, then Headmaster. But don't expect me to wipe the dust from your portrait when you are gone."

Dumbledore could not help but let out a chuckle at this.

"I would never expect you to, Minerva. Now if you wouldn't mind, I do have a prior appointment with Mr Snape."

Dumbledore stood to allow her out, however feeling immensely disgruntled that Dumbledore had not heeded her warning; Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and saw herself out of the Headmaster's office without a single world.

In the intervening minutes, Dumbledore sat back down in his chair. To an observer he would have appeared to be taking a rest after a stressful exchange; however Dumbledore's clever mind was already working its way into the future. Reaching into the top drawer of his desk, he pulled out a stack of parchment, neatly bound with thick string.

Deft fingers undoing the knot, he rifled through the pages, putting them to one side until he came across the one he sought. His incandescent blue eyes narrowed as they travelled down the text on the page. With one hand he reached across the desk, opening a pot of ink dipping a freshly sharpened quill into its emerald green depths.

Moving his hand quickly across the page, he made notes over what was already written until he heard a knock on the door. Immediately he moved to stash the notes back in desk drawer, adopting a calm expression.

"Come in."

The door opened and in stepped Severus Snape. His hair still hung in curtains along the sides of his face, but the face had become slightly more angular in the time since he had finished school. He had also grown slightly broader across his chest, although his slouch somewhat disguised this.

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore," Severus spoke.

The Headmaster was accustomed to more of a sneer when Severus spoke to him, and the absence of such now alerted Dumbledore that there was more going on here than what met the eye.

"Hello, Severus. Please, take a seat."

Severus did as he was bid, not taking his dark eyes off the headmaster.

"Thank you for seeing me, Headmaster."

Dumbledore inclined his head towards the man, acknowledging how polite and reserved he was being, however, suspecting that there was something else. It was no secret that Severus wouldn't plan a meeting for the sake of exchanging a few pleasantries.

"You are welcome. What news do you bring me from your Master?"

Snape's eyes immediately filled with alarm before closing off completely. His face immediately morphed into a look of indifference.

"My Master does not know that I am here, and I would like to keep it that way. I am here of my own accord... I...I wish to ask something of you..."

His voice, quiet as ever managed to pierce through the inner turmoil that resulted from the shame of him having to ask a favour from his ex-headmaster.

"How do I know that you are being truthful?" Dumbledore questioned him, staring straight into the dark pupils of the younger man. "You are doing a tremendous job of keeping me out, Severus."

"He is seeking to recruit more followers," stated Severus, breaking his gaze to look down at his lap.

"And?"

"And, it is putting more people in danger than I ever thought possible."

"Severus, why do I get the feeling that there is something you are not telling me? We both know that Voldemort seeks to create an army of followers that will eventually overpower me; of course this means that many people will be hurt in the process. His methods are barbaric, as are his ideals. Why is this significant?"

"He is hell bent on conscripting Lily Evans... amongst others..."

He could not bring himself to name the other Marauders.

"Again, that is of no surprise to me. He has already requested their allegiance once before whilst they were still students. Lily and James turned him down. Let us not forget that Voldemort is essentially a bully. He seeks the support of others without ever becoming truly close to them. He wants power to hide the fact than on the inside he is a little boy who is hurting more than what he would like to show."

Severus could not help but think that Dumbledore was saying these things more about him than Voldemort.

"Yes, and that is exactly the problem. He will not stop until he has them on his side, or he has them murdered."

"I didn't realised this had concerned you so much," Dumbledore continued to stare at the young man, trying to glean as much of his reactions as he could.

"It would put a bit of a damper on the wedding if either the Bride or Groom were not present due to their untimely death."

Snape's eyes shot upwards to look at the Headmaster, and for the briefest of moments his resolve was broken.

"Wedding?"

"Of course, you wouldn't have heard about it yet. They wanted to keep it low-key for obvious reasons but, James and Lily are engaged to be married in just under a month."

If at this moment somebody asked Severus how he was feeling, he would not have known how to respond.

He wanted to scream and shout away his fury, but at the same time curl up into a little ball and weep. Lily. His Lily was marrying that scum.

His silence, however, was all too telling for Dumbledore.

"I suspected at much," said Dumbledore softly. "It would have been too much to expect from you that you would want to change sides for yourself."

"You have to protect her, Dumbledore. Promise me that you will keep her safe."

Sighing, Dumbledore shook his head at the young man.

"I cannot promise something that I may not be able to deliver, Severus."

It was as Dumbledore said this that the rage intensified within Severus. Baring his teeth, he banged a closed fist against the table as he stood, and for the second time that day the silver instruments on Dumbledore's desk were disturbed and threatened to topple over onto the midnight blue carpet covering the floor.

"What do you mean by that? You will stand by and allow him to destroy her? I have seen his plans, you old fool! The Dark Lord is not a school yard bully anymore! He is a wizard with extraordinary powers, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that he gets what he wants!"

"Sit down, Severus," thundered Professor Dumbledore. It was the loudest he had ever spoken and the shock of it silenced Snape immediately. Several of the portraits could be heard making impatient clicks with their tongue at the impertinence that Snape had shown Dumbledore.

"My actions may be very limited in this circumstance, but you forget that you have been brought into Voldemort's inner circle. You have valuable information regarding his plans, and therefore you will always be a step ahead of me. Did it not occur to you that you might be in a better position to protect her?"

Snape began stuttering.

"I... err... Li..."

"Lily hates me," he finally gasped out. "She knows an awful lot about me, and my umm... choices. Besides, I'm in too deep now."

"Show me your left wrist," Dumbledore demanded of Snape.

"What?"

Snape had long since resumed his seat, however he was now perched on the edge of it, like a bird ready to take flight. Leaning forward, he let his mouth hang open slightly in confusion.

"Show me your left wrist, Severus."

Snape held out his arm, and with his right hand pulled back the dark fabric of his robes to reveal the milky white skin that was underneath.

"You are not in as deep as you think, Severus. You have not yet been marked. I may not be able to offer my complete protection to Lily, but there is a chance that I can protect you in some small way, and by extension protect Lily as well."

"How-"

Dumbledore held up his hand to silence Snape.

"There is a prophecy that has been made concerning Lily, and it will be Voldemort's intention to fulfil what he knows of this prophecy. At this point in time, he knows nothing of it."

"How can you be certain?" asked Snape, immediately dubious. According to him, Dumbledore had completely lost his marbles. A prophecy, indeed!

"I am almost completely certain, and it shall be your duty to ensure that he never knows of it."

"What is this prophecy that you are so sure of?"

It was at this point that Dumbledore reached his hand down the side of his desk, opening the drawer that he had been using earlier. From it, he pulled the parchment, fresh ink still gleaming in the sunlight.

Putting this parchment down in front of Severus, he waited for the young man to read it. The dark eyes widened as they progressed down the page.

"You are still not telling me how this concerns Lily. How will this protect her?"

"I have several sources that assure me of this. If you require my assistance, then I must ask that you trust my judgement in return."

Severus closed his eyes, taking a moment to compose himself.

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You do have a choice. It is just a little more difficult to make the right choice sometimes," replied Dumbledore, full of pity for the man whom he knew would have many burdens to bear.

"I have one more thing to ask of you," said Dumbledore, his face more grave than ever before.

"I must ask that you meet me at this time tomorrow. In Godric's Hollow."


	31. Chapter 30

_**You guys are damn lucky that i've given you another update this weekend. Methods of payment include reviews ;)**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 30: Godric's Hollow<strong>

The breeze was cool as it ruffled through Snape's long cloak. He hoped that Dumbledore would not take too long.

It was strange that he had asked to meet in Godric's Hollow, of all places. What was the significance of this tiny village?

Hearing the gentle clicks of high-heeled boots on stones, Snape turned his body around. One hand was inside his cloak, ready to pull out his wand if needed.

"Ah, Severus. You are already here," Dumbledore stated the obvious attempting to lighten the mood. "Good, good. I'd like you to follow me please."

Dumbledore turned to lead the way, whistling quietly as he went. However, Snape was not so trusting.

"Where are you leading me?"

Dumbledore stopped whistling, but continued to walk across the cobbled path at the village square. An obelisk stood in the centre of the square, carved with names, it served as a memorial.

"We are here to meet a friend of mine. She will be able to shed bit of light on a lot of matters."

The two men made an odd couple as they meandered down streets, only to turn swiftly down almost hidden alleyways. There were so many lefts and rights that Snape was sure that he would never be able to find his way back here on his own. Finally they came to what seemed like a dead end.

"What now Dumbledore?" sneered Snape. "Does this friend of yours live in a trash can?"

Dumbledore wordlessly reached into his midnight blue robes. From the pocket of which he pulled out a small, crumpled piece of paper. It was this paper that he handed to Severus.

_The residence of Hermione Granger is located at Peverell Lane, Godric's Hollow._

"I want you to read that over in your mind, I will then explain further," said Dumbledore in a quiet tone, looking over his shoulder as he spoke.

Snape had barely gotten to the end of the sentence before the paper seemed to combust within his fingers, and a wooden door began to materialise out of the bricks.

"The next time that you are here, you will only need to pace in front of the wall three times whilst thinking of the address," said Dumbledore, hitching up the sleeve of his robe slightly so that his hand was free to form a loose fist and knock on the now solid door. The knocking, although unfamiliar to Severus, seemed to follow a set pattern.

The door opened just a fraction to reveal a young woman with bushy, brown hair. Her eyes, also brown, were wide with fear until she saw who was behind the disturbance.

"Hello, Professor," she said, opening the door to allow both men to enter. "Please come in."

Dumbledore stepped over the threshold first, and Snape followed closely behind. He was not sure how far his trust of Dumbledore extended, and he did not want to take any chances. What did this young girl have to say that would keep his Lily safe?

"Hermione," said Dumbledore once they had seated themselves in the cosy lounge room, "may I please introduce a recently graduated student from Hogwarts, Severus Snape. Although I believe that you are familiar with him under slightly different terms."

Snape could not be more confused. He had never met this girl in his life. How could she possibly know him already?

"Correct," replied Hermione, her voice quiet. Too quiet. Perhaps she had misgivings about this situation as well. It was then that the true extent of Hermione's uneasiness was revealed with several crashing sounds emanating from the area the kitchen seemed to be in.

A resounding 'CRAP!' exploded from the area. Dumbledore's mouth twitched slightly.

"Hermione, do you have other company that you need to attend to?"

Hermione sighed; obviously annoyed that she had been caught out so early on.

"I will be back in a moment," she replied, her voice full of exasperation as she left the room to attend to the issue that had arisen.

Muffled voices could be heard, followed by a stinging slap. All too soon, Hermione re-emerged with none other than James Potter trailing behind rubbing at his upper arm whilst the same hand held a wand which was levitating a tray of drinks. However, any soreness that he felt immediately dissipated when he clapped eyes on Severus sitting on the couch next to Dumbledore.

"You!" he cried out, pointing his finger at Snape.

Snape's reflexes were much faster, and within a few seconds he was also standing albeit with his wand pointing directly at James.

Hermione sighed once more, and took the initiative to stand between the two enemies.

"Put your wand away Severus, along with your differences," she said, raising an eyebrow in expectation. "Your petty schoolboy fights have no place here. We need to discuss business."

Snape sat himself back down on the sofa; however it took him much longer to gain the courage to put away his weapon.

"Thank you," replied Hermione once both young men had followed her instructions. "Let's get straight down to business. We need to make sure that we are all on the same page here, so Severus, I will give you some of my personal history. Both Professor Dumbledore and James are familiar with what I am about to tell you..."

A glass of water stood on the coffee table in front of her, obviously already belonging to her. She took a small sip before continuing.

"I was born almost exactly one year from now, September 1979."

It took a few moments for this new information to sink in for Snape, but when it did it was not at Hermione that he directed his aggression.

"You brought me here to listen to some witch tell me lies that she is from the future," he said to Dumbledore. "Is this the same loony person that gave you the prophecy?"

"Severus, I implore you to reserve judgement until you hear everything that Hermione has to say. She is the person who informed me of the existence of the prophecy, but she is not the person who made it. What she is telling you is not a lie."

Dumbledore nodded for Hermione to continue; irrespective of the faces that Snape seemed to be pulling in his frustration. Snape's fists were clenched at his side, but he still listened.

"As you suggested, yes, I am indeed from the future. I come from a time where Voldemort was gaining the upper hand in more ways than one. He was seeking to make himself immortal, at any cost. It was a time where people feared each other more than what they do now."

"No person can make themself truly immortal," scoffed Snape, still being entirely disbelieving of Hermione's story.

"Severus, have you ever heard of a horcrux?"

This immediately silenced Snape. His face paled even more than what it already was. His hands fell slack at his sides.

"A horcrux? The Dark Lord made a horcrux?"

Hermione nodded. She was glad that finally Snape seemed to understand the magnitude of what she was suggesting, even if it was only for a moment.

"It wasn't just one. He made many, hoping that they would never be found. However, that was not the case. I was part of an expedition that sought out to destroy the horcruxes, and we were successful."

"If you were successful, then why do I need to be in this room with that filthy creature over there?" Snape's lip curled as he pointed at James for the second time that day.

Hermione was becoming increasingly annoyed with the impertinence that the young Severus Snape held, and his clear disregard for the dangerous situation he found himself in, despite having seemed to understood it only moments ago.

"You need to be here because Voldemort was defeated in 1998. It is now 1978, and he is very much at large. We simply have the benefit of knowing his plan. We have not been able to act on it as yet. The very second that he gets wind of what we are doing could spell disaster for every witch and wizard in Britain. It is the current job of the Order of the Phoenix to keep him as contained as possible."

Hermione paused for another sip of water, feeling her throat becoming hoarse with use.

"We need to be able to find the objects that he used to contain parts of his soul, before destroying them. It is only by doing this that we are able to save the lives that were lost last time. I do not wish to go into the details of that, but it was disastrous, even for you."

Sensing that Hermione meant business, Snape put away his transgression before attempting to find out more information.

"There are exactly five objects that we need to collect: the locket of Salazar Slytherin, the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, the cup of Helga Hufflepuff, the ring of Marvolo Gaunt and Tom Riddle's diary."

It was James' turn to scoff.

"Old Voldy certainly did well for himself to make those things into horcruxes."

"Yes, well. That also forms part of the problem," replied Hermione with a small smile. "Those are not everyday objects which we have access to. They would be heavily protected even if they were not horcruxes. I know exactly where they were located in the 1990s, but now that we are in the 1970s, I have absolutely no idea where they would be. Our goal is to create a small team that is trustworthy enough, and skilled enough to be able to find them and destroy them. From what I remember from last time, they had a tendency to put up a bit of a fight."

There was silence as each person pondered who could make up such a team. There would need to be ten people. Two for each horcrux - at a minimum. Then there was the piece that was still residing within Voldemort to consider as well.

"Would you do it, Severus?" asked Hermione, her voice quiet once more despite the courage she had displayed whilst explaining herself.

"I..." Snape was lost for words.

"There is just one condition," pressed Hermione. "Well, actually two conditions now that I think about it."

"Yes?" replied Snape, wondering what the conditions would be.

"Firstly, the prophecy that Professor Dumbledore has been telling you about. You must not tell Voldemort about it. Not one tiny little hint. Last time, it was Voldemort finding out about that prophecy that caused the majority of the problems. Secondly, you must remain within his ranks. Do what you can to not get a dark mark, but I will understand if that is unavoidable. You would be our spy."

Snape was absolutely incensed at these demands.

"You expect me to comply with that! The Dark Lord is exceptionally powerful, he would see right through me!"

Hermione's mouth twisted into a small smile.

"You are an exceptionally talented Occlumens, Severus. I have no doubt that you would be able to pull this off."

Snape sat with his mouth gaping wide open. He knew that Dumbledore would not have imparted that piece of information about him, and it was not something that he had revealed about himself to her. It was with that simple sentence that he knew she was telling the truth.

Hermione Granger was indeed from the future, and they really did have a chance at destroying Voldemort once and for all as long as she was with them.


	32. Chapter 31

_**A tid-bit of information will be revealed in this chapter. You'll know it when you read it. All I ask for is your patience, and all shall be revealed in the future.**_

**Chapter 31: Akzeptanz**

**Acceptance**

"Lily, you look stunning," whispered Hermione. She looked at Lily with an amalgamation of awe and jealousy. She was truly happy for her new friend, after all, she was marrying the love of her life today; however, there was a part of her that craved it for herself.

Hermione had been given a second chance at life, and perhaps even in this timeline she would never get to experience the joy of a long-lasting relationship with someone whom she loved. It seemed remarkably selfish to love, given the fact that she was the only person who understood the true danger that every person was in.

"Twirl for me," she smiled at her friend.

Lily followed Hermione's instructions, and swivelled on the tips of her toes.

The skirt of her dress skimmed over the tops of her knees, and fanned out from where it was cinched just below her bust. A pale green ribbon held the silk in place whilst the remainder of the dress skimmed over her slim figure.

One of her hands held the hem of her skirt, whilst the other kept a simple headpiece in place. It was a single wire that had many beads, moonstones and crystals threaded on to it before it had been wound around on itself to mould to Lily's head. She wore no veil, and only flat shoes.

"I'm glad that James agreed with a simple wedding," said Lily when she had finished twirling.

"You and I both," giggled Hermione, as she stopped to adjust her own outfit. The pale green of her dress matched the sash on Lily's. Both dresses were of a similar style, but Hermione's one was constructed of chiffon, not silk as Lily's had been.

Lily stooped down to pick up a small spray of flowers from a table.

"Come here," she said to Hermione. "Let me put this on you."

Lily's hands reached up to pin the flowers onto Hermione's dress. As she did a little of the fabric rose up, resting on her stomach. Hermione's eyes immediately snapped to the mid-region of her friend, eyes widening in suspicion. Quicker than she had looked, she moved her eyes back up, staring straight ahead, but it seemed that Lily had caught her looking.

Her cheeks turned pink in embarrassment, hoping she wasn't assuming something that she shouldn't be.

"Your assumption is probably not wrong, Hermione," said Lily, her hands dropping to her waist.

"Have you told anyone?" were the only words that Hermione could think to say at the moment, feeling completely numb on the inside.

"James is the only person that knows. We weren't going to tell anyone until after the wedding, but I'm three months pregnant, and for those that know me well enough, I guess it's noticeable."

Hermione felt her heart dropping through her chest; it was so bittersweet for a loving couple to be bringing a baby into a dangerous world. But the only thought that was travelling through her mind was that the timing was all wrong. If this baby were Harry, then he was arriving far too early. Would that mean that everything in this timeline would be brought forward? Did Hermione have much less time than what she anticipated?

"Hermione, are you okay? You've gone really pale," Lily questioned.

Hermione swallowed, hastily re-arranging her facial features into a smile.

"I'm really happy for you, Lils," she finally said, giving Lily a tight hug. "But don't worry, I won't tell anyone for you."

Relief flooded Lily's face as she hugged Hermione back, just as tightly.

"Thank you," she breathed. "Now, let's get this show on the road!"

Hermione laughed, feeling the tension of the room lift slightly.

"You stay here and relax. I'll go check to see if everyone and everything is ready."

Leaving the room, Hermione walked outside into the Spanish sun. Lily and James had elected to move out of the country for the wedding, partly for the warm weather, and partly for the privacy that it would bring. The only people that knew they were being married were the people who were invited to the wedding. The owners of a very remote vineyard had allowed them to host the wedding there, even offering up a couple of guest cottages free of charge so that the bride and groom would each have a place to get ready on the day.

Although the nights were quite cool, the days were still warm.

If Lily were pregnant now, how much time did that give them to hunt down the horcruxes and destroy them? Did the prophecy even hold any longer? Many questions flitted in and out of Hermione mind, too quick for her to even acknowledge most of them.

"Hermione!"

Sirius' voice raised her out of her stupor. He was jogging over to her.

"James is ready when Lily is," he said. "The decorations are all in place, and Dumbledore has arrived. He is also ready to start the ceremony as soon as they are."

Hermione nodded, putting her thoughts away to one side. She must not give in to her emotions and reveal too much. She must never let on what she knows about the potential futures' of these people.

"Thanks for that. I'll let Lily know. See you in a few minutes."

Turning on her heel, Hermione started back towards the cottage. Breathing in deeply, she attempted to steady herself before facing Lily again.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

The sun was shining through the trees. The leaves gently refracted the light so that every person was illuminated.

Hermione looked on at the small crowd of people. It was a very small wedding.

She was the maid of honour for Lily, whilst Sirius was James' best man. Dumbledore had agreed to be the officiator for the event. The only others present were Remus, Marlene McKinnon (as Sirius' date), and the respective parents of the bride and groom.

Mrs Potter was currently in a wheelchair, unable to walk very far. Although Hermione never knew the details regarding the deaths of Mr and Mrs Potter, she was sure that Mrs Potter at least, might not make it to see the birth of her grandchild. However, it did lighten her heart a little to see how affectionate and loving James' parents were towards one another. Mr and Mrs Evans, also present, seemed to be delighted by everything, especially the part where Dumbledore had touched the tip of his wand to Lily and James' intertwined hands.

A thin stream of light issued forth as James released one of his hands to place the ring on Lily's outstretched finger.

"I James, take you Lily, to be wife. To share the good times and hard times side by side. I give you my hand and my heart, and pledge my faith and love to you. Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal. With this ring, I thee wed."

Placing the golden band on the appropriate finger of James' left hand, Lily recited her own vows. Another stream of light was released from Dumbledore's wand, and it connected itself to the first strand, creating an unbreakable bond.

"I Lily, take you James, to be my husband. To share the good times and hard times side by side. I give you my hand and my heart, and pledge my faith and love to you. Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal. With this ring, I thee wed."

When Dumbledore spoke it was with great assurance.

"In that case, I pronounce you husband and wife. James, you may kiss your bride."

What seemed like a lifetime of ambition had just been fulfilled for James, and he pulled Lily close into his arms for a passionate kiss. Hermione had never been completely dry at weddings, but this was one time when the floodgates well and truly opened.

Hermione couldn't have been happier for her friends as she sat and watched them.

After the ceremony, the owners of the vineyard had another surprise in store as they set up a giant table filled with all kinds of locally produced food. Of course, the table was also liberally dotted with many bottles of the locally produced wine as well. The sun was going down as Hermione popped another olive in her mouth, and the gradual darkness allowed her to admire the many sparkling tea lights that illuminated the table and surrounding trees.

"Knut for your thoughts," a deep and quiet voice said from beside her.

Hermione shook her head, and turned to face the owner of the voice.

"Oh, it's you Remus..."

Remus chuckled at her, sitting in the vacant seat next to Hermione.

"You don't seem to please to see me!"

Hermione felt herself flush, and attempted to sound more upbeat.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to... I...umm...to be honest, I don't know what I was thinking. I really am sorry."

Remus chuckled again, holding out his hand.

"Why don't you rectify your mistake by agreeing to dance with me?"

He inclined his head towards the record player that had been charmed to play soft string music on a continuous loop.

Hermione looked out into the dark and was able to make out Lily and James, arm in arm twirling on the spot. A little further away from them Mr and Mrs Evans were doing much the same. Sirius and Marlene had long since disappeared, and Mr Potter was content to sit with his wife, chatting away to Professor Dumbledore.

It was like any previous arguments had been erased. Perhaps Remus was ready to let go of his feelings.

"Okay," replied Hermione, after realising that Remus was still waiting for an answer. Accepting his outstretched hand, she allowed him to lead her over to a level bit of grass. It was not the cool air that made her shiver when Remus wrapped his arm securely around her waist, pulling her close to him.

Silently they rocked from side to side. Hermione had to admit that she had not felt so content in a very long time.

"We should do this again sometime," said Remus, instantly turning red as he realised what he suggested. "Not a wedding, obviously, but we should see each other more often. We used to spend so much time together, now we hardly ever see each other."

Hermione had to refrain herself from adding that it was because they were both too stubborn to agree to disagree. In her heart of hearts, she knew that they would have to resolve their issues before any progression could be made, in a friendship or otherwise, but for now she didn't have the heart to disagree.

"Yes," she found herself saying to him. "That would be lovely."

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><p><em><strong>As an incentive to review, I solemnly promise to favourite each author who chooses to give me a review on this chapter :)<strong>_


	33. Chapter 32

_**As with the last chapter, I favourited any person who gave me a review. I will do the same for this chapter, so please, review! Do not be a silent reader!**_

**Chapter 32: Ein Schritt nach vorn**

**A Step Forward**

Hermione's fingers trembled slightly as she held the thick piece of parchment in her fingers. The neat handwriting that filled the page was so familiar, and yet she still felt rather removed from it.

He had asked her to meet him the following week, near his house. He had given the address, and the date and time, but no more. When he asked her to spend more time together, she didn't think that it would be happening so soon.

Setting the page down at her desk, she pulled open the top drawer to retrieve a clean piece of parchment. Dipping her quill into a pot of black ink, she scrawled a return message. The owl he sent was becoming impatient, and she must have a reply ready soon.

_Yes, will meet you there. – H._

Attaching the parchment to the owl's leg, she opened her window and allowed it to fly back to its owner, almost immediately regretting her decision.

The more she thought about it, the more preposterous it sounded. She could see that the whole issue was doomed from the start.

There would be no way that Remus would accept her back in his life until she told him the truth, and this was something that she was not yet prepared to do. It would put too many people in danger, not to mention infuriate Remus. It had gone too far for Hermione to turn around now and tell him the truth. She had let it go on for far too long, and now there was no turning back. She would never able to tell Remus where she had truly come from.

Although a part of her wondered why this was the case.

She had told Dumbledore. James knew, and so did Severus. If everything went to plan then there would be a few others that would need to find out the truth as well. It was imperative for their success. Yet when it came to telling Remus, her throat went dry, and the insides of her stomach churned. She had spent a great deal of time wondering why this was, until she realised that the answer lay in her most recent reply to Remus.

She cared too much. More specifically, she cared about him too much. She did not want to see him hurt, either physically or emotionally. This was just her way of distancing him, to keep him safe.

'Yes,' she thought to herself. 'To keep him safe...from me. From me and my horrendous lies and troubles.'

In spite of these feelings, Hermione could not help but feel a tiny flame of desire pulsing within her. She _wanted_ to see Remus again.

In his letter he had said that he was organising a surprise for them, but not to be too worried.

Although she had no inkling as to what the surprise could be, Hermione could not help but feel giddy at the prospect. It was just like being back in Hogwarts. Hermione always felt immensely grateful to Remus that he would reserve every Friday afternoon, just so that he could spend it with her.

Every Friday always held a surprise of some sort. Sometimes it would be flowers, or chocolates or some kind of physical gift. However, the Room of Requirement was at their disposal, and more often than not, Remus would wish for the Room to transform into something spectacular. To Hermione, it was like living in a fairy tale; and she would be slightly upset when the time would come for Remus to have to leave her and head back to his dormitory.

Although there were some nights when he would stay with her, in her bed; he was careful not to do it too often, so as to not raise suspicions.

Wondering what Remus had in store for her this time, Hermione let herself escape into her imagination, just this once.

**HPHPHPHPHPHP**

"I'm glad to see you've dressed warmly."

Hermione would recognise that voice anywhere, and without a moment's hesitation, she turned to hug her friend.

"If you had given me any hints about where we are going, I might've had a better idea," said Hermione, mirth present in her voice as she spoke.

"You'll see soon enough," Remus grinned. "I'll show you the way."

He held out his hand for Hermione to hold onto. She instantly accepted, and hand in hand they made their way through narrow streets and abandoned alleyways, to the edge of the village.

Hermione thanked herself for having the foresight to wear solid, closed-in shoes. The pair now had to wade through several fields of tall grass.

"I'm sorry that this place is so hard to get to," Remus apologised with a shy grin. "If I knew an easier way to get there, I would take you that way."

"Not a problem," Hermione grimaced as she narrowly avoided stepping in a large volume of cow manure. "I'm sure it will be worth it when we get there."

"Oh, it will be," mumbled Remus so that Hermione could not hear him.

Finally, they came to a patch of even ground. Remus stopped so suddenly that Hermione bumped into the back of him. He turned to face her so that everything was completely obscured from her view.

"I want you to close your eyes, Hermione," he said to her. "I'll guide you. Don't open them until I say that you can."

Hermione did as she was bid, closing her eyes and putting her hands over the top for good measure. She sensed Remus moving so that he was behind her, and felt his hands rest on the tops of her hips.

Ignoring the pleasantly uncomfortable feelings that were spreading to her groin region, Hermione took a few tentative steps forward. Occasionally she would feel one of Remus' hands leave her body, but then she would hear a few twigs snap, and suspected that he was stopping the trees from scratching her as they walked through.

There came a moment where Hermione felt a gentle tug backwards, and she supposed that Remus had stopped walking. He stepped forward slightly so that her back was pressed against his muscular chest. His hands reached up to meet her own, and he pulled them down by Hermione's sides so that she could see once more.

Hermione gasped.

Remus had brought her to an overgrown garden. The grass was growing wild, but she could still see all manner of flowers poking through. Wild heather stood out in patches, along with primrose and patches of what might have held wild strawberries in the summer months. A tree had clearly fallen a long time ago because the log that remained was completely covered in vines. A rushing sound filled Hermione's ears, and she was sure that there was a creek at the bottom the hill.

"This is where we had our first date," whispered Hermione in awe. "I had no idea that it existed as a real place."

Remus chuckled, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"I've been coming here since I was a child. I thought it might be a good place for us to start over."

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	34. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: Meuterei**

**Mutiny**

"We can't all place our homes under the Fidelius charm. Think of how it would look if we just disappeared off the face of the Earth!"

Alastor Moody growled more than he spoke. Anger bounced off his every word.

"I absolutely agree, Alastor," replied Dumbledore. "I am sure that most of the people in this room would as well."

Dumbledore held out a hand to the occupants of the bar, gesturing to the other members of the Order of the Phoenix as he continued to speak.

"Therefore there must be another plan. Fortunately, my sources have given me information that could lead to the formulation of such a plan."

"Your sources?" scoffed Emmeline Vance. "You seem to have an awful lot of trustworthy sources at this point in time Dumbledore. Who are they, and where are they getting such 'accurate' information?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. Dumbledore's antics had gone far enough, in her opinion. However, Dumbledore was as cool, calm and collected as ever. His voice remained even as he spoke.

"For the moment, that information must only reside with me. It is for the safety of that person, not that I don't trust you, but should it be tortured from someone, the consequences would be disastrous."

Hermione attempted to keep her face neutral, knowing that he was speaking about her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flicker of movement from behind a pillar. She gave the figure there an almost imperceptible nod.

"In the meantime," Dumbledore continued to speak, "I would like to welcome yet another new member to our ranks. I introduce to you, Severus Snape."

There were a few sharp intakes of breath, and several people murmured in bewilderment; however, for the most part everyone remained silent in their shock as Snape emerged from behind the pillar.

Hermione felt a disturbance behind her, and turned to see that James and Remus had to hold back a struggling Sirius. James obviously knew about this turn of events, thanks to the previous meeting with Dumbledore, and Remus was far too sensible to engage in physical combat. Lily stood to the side; her eyes wide open in astonishment whilst one hand was resting on protectively on her slightly rounded stomach.

"Severus has decided to aid us in achieving our aims," said Dumbledore, any hint of a twinkle in his eye was gone. He was deathly serious.

"But he's one of them!" an angry voice cried out from the crowd. "He's a death eater!"

Dumbledore held up a hand to silence the room.

"We must not judge others on past mistakes. Severus has learned from his past, and wishes to help our cause. He brings with him a wealth of information that will no doubt be of assistance."

Sirius had stopped struggling behind Hermione, but she couldn't help but notice the firm grip that James had on his arms. Remus stood beside them, staring straight ahead as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

The meeting was quickly drawn to a close by Moody, and each person filed out into the cool autumn air.

James waited until Snape had disapparated before speaking to Hermione in quiet but urgent tones.

"It doesn't take a genius to work out that they weren't happy in there. There will be a mutiny against Dumbledore if he's not careful. He's made a lot of unpopular choices recently."

Hermione walked quickly beside him, rubbing her hands together to keep them warm.

"It will all work out in the end," she murmured, softly enough so that only James would hear.

"I hope it does, not only for Dumbledore's sake, but yours," replied James, peeling himself away from Hermione to rejoin himself to Lily.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Instead of following the example of the others, Hermione did not venture home after the most recent meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Instead she apparated herself so that she landed just outside the gates of Hogwarts. Here she waited patiently for Dumbledore to join her.

A distinct pop in the air was heard, and Hermione turned to greet the Headmaster.

"James thought that a mutiny would ensue after that meeting," said Hermione, as they made their way up to the castle.

Dumbledore merely chuckled.

"It would not be the first time that my opinion is unpopular," he said. "However, I did think it wise to refrain from telling them that Severus would be a spy for us. Somehow, I think that it would cause further distrust."

Hermione had to stop herself from releasing a sarcastic response at this. Dumbledore really knew how to push his luck, sometimes.

"Be that as it may," replied Hermione, "we still need to get Regulus on our side. Once upon a time, he knew about the horcruxes, and he wanted them destroyed. We have that working in our favour, at the very least."

"It will be no problem summoning him, he is still a student of this school," said Dumbledore. "As such, he is under my jurisdiction until he finishes his seventh year in June, irrespective of the fact that I know he has a dark mark hidden under his uniform."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak.

"Please, Hermione. It is late, and we cannot do anything about it tonight. For your sake, and mine, allow me to convince him. Give me a little time, and I will sway him in our direction. I will send a message to you when he is ready to co-operate."

Dumbledore spoke with such finality that Hermione could not create a reasonable counter-argument. Instead, she bid Dumbledore a goodnight, turned on her heel and walked straight back out the front doors of the castle.

Shaking her head, she disapparated herself back to her home, wondering why she bothered helping in the first place.

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><p>I encourage you to review. Please don't be a silent reader!<p> 


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: **Ausnutzung****

**Advantage**

_**Yet again, it has been awhile since I updated, but I thought it was more appropriate to give you this chapter now, seeing as it is Christmas in the story, and Christmas in the real world as well.**_

_**I hope you all have a lovely holiday season, and I look forward to updating you all again in the New Year. **_

_**Stay safe xx**_

_**December 1978**_

"No!" giggled Lily. "I'm not drinking tonight. I'm a pregnant lady and you have to do what I say!"

Sirius finally heeded to Lily's warning, but only after Marlene had laid a gentle hand on his forearm as a gentle reminder that he must behave. He put the bottle of wine on the table, before picking it up once more to top up the other glasses.

Hermione picked her glass up from the table, taking a quick sip. She had hit that sweet spot where she was feeling buzzed, but not yet tipsy. Everything seemed good with the world, even if it probably was not.

"I don't think I could eat another bite!" declared James, putting his napkin on the empty plate in front of him.

Lily giggled from beside him. "I'm afraid that I will have to concede with you on that point, darling husband."

James pretended to look aghast, his mouth opening comically.

"Lils, I think that is the first time you've said that you're full since you became pregnant. I, for one, am quite shocked," he winked at her, but Hermione noticed that he also couldn't help but put his arm around her waist to pull her in towards him.

Hermione felt her heart warm at this, but there was a simultaneous twinge of pain in her chest. James and Lily had each other, Sirius was here with Marlene. Remus was sitting at the head of the table, with Hermione at the other end.

"Hermione!" Sirius declared, obviously already slightly intoxicated despite the food they had just eaten. "Have some more wine."

He proceeded to fill Hermione's glass without waiting for an answer before turning to fill everyone else's glasses, sans Lily.

"Thank you, Sirius," replied Hermione, slightly disgruntled that he had filled her glass again before it was empty. This always made it difficult to count how many drinks she had already drunk.

'Oh well,' she thought. 'One more won't make enough of a difference.'

It was only a couple of hours later that Hermione could no longer realise how wrong her thoughts had been previously.

Her head was buzzing, and her limbs no longer felt like they were hers. She knew that she wasn't thinking straight, but she went with it. Questioning it would only mean that she would have to face the reality of her life.

She was living in hiding, during a time where she didn't really exist. She had her friends, but there were certain things in life that required someone who was more than just a friend.

Hermione jerked her head up.

How on earth did she get into the kitchen? When did that happen?

Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she decided that it would safer out of the kitchen, and away from any sharp objects.

She needed to get back to her friends, and the party. It was Christmas, and she needed to get her hands on what was left of the booze. It seemed like such a good idea.

Her legs felt like jelly as she tried to walk, but she successfully made it as far as the lounge room.

"Remus!" she cried out, plonking herself down next to him. "How are you going? Are you having fun? I am!"

Although Hermione could not notice it at the time, Remus was about as drunk as she was. His complexion was ruddy, and the rims of his eyes were a matching shade of red. Fortunately a drunk Remus was a more subdued Remus. He merely wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

"Where did we go wrong, Hermione?" he asked her, his voice quiet and urgent as it completely ignored what Hermione had been saying to him.

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked around to see if the others in the room were listening.

Lily had a very strong headache, and had gone in her room to lie down for awhile. James was chatting animatedly with Sirius and Marlene. Each were in various stages of intoxication. Turning back to Remus, she realised that she had no answer for him.

"I don't know," she said, putting her face closer to his so that she would not have to shout to be heard. James had put a record on, and the music was putting immense pressure on her ears, and her thoughts. "But can we forget about it for one night. Just one night, Remus. Please?"

Remus did not answer. Instead, he removed his hand from where he had been resting it on Hermione's knee, and touched it to her face. Hermione's eyes closed instantly, savouring the touch.

"Let's go somewhere more private," Remus spoke before lightly pressing his lips to hers. The hand that was on her face moved down her arm to grasp her hand in his. He tugged her off the couch, almost pushing them both to the floor in the process.

"I'm taking Hermione home," Remus said to the others, fighting to be heard over the music. James waved his hand in their general direction, letting them know that he had heard.

Hermione was the one to now take the initiative. She took Remus hands and led him around the various streets and alleyways to her home. Fortunately James and Lily lived a stone's throw away from her in Godric's Hollow.

She brought Remus into the secret of the Fidelius Charm, quickly unlocking her front door with a tap of her wand.

"I'll give you the grand tour of the house tomorrow," she giggled in Remus' ear as she felt his lips working their way down her neck. With her back positioned flush with the back of the door, she felt his hands gently work their way under her clothes before gripping tightly at her hips. At the back of Hermione' mind she did had a fantasy of a man making love to her against a wall or a solid object, but now was not the time for that.

"Right now, all we need is the bedroom."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Hermione felt bile rise up into her throat, threatening to overflow out of her mouth. Whilst she and Remus were making fools of themselves, Lily had been in the most excruciating pain. She could not regret last night's decisions any more than what she already did. She had achieved nothing but absolute humiliation when she woke to find that Remus was gone from her bed. But then again, they weren't together anymore, so why did it matter?

She had done nothing more than take advantage of their vulnerable states, and it made her feel disgusted with herself. Even more so after James had owled her shortly after she woke. It was not good news, and it only made Hermione feel even more ashamed of her inebriation, and subsequent actions.

Had she really been so knocked out from the alcohol that she didn't realise the situation was serious when Lily went to lie down in her room. Lily never got headaches like that. Her tolerance for pain was quite high. If Lily said something hurt, it must have been exceptionally intense. Thank goodness James had thought to take her to hospital.

At least there she would have proper emotional support.

"It was a girl," said James, using the sleeves of his jacket to wipe his whole face free of tears. "She was perfect. She had all her little fingers and toes. Her heart was still beating until just a little while ago. But she was just so tiny, and it was far too early for her to be born. The palm of her hand was the size of the tip of my index finger."

Hermione pressed her lips together, hoping to hold back her tears. She had come here to this time by accident, hoping to make the best of it. She had wanted to save lives, but perhaps it was impossible to save everybody.

"She was just too tiny to be with us for very long," said James, his voice cracking as he spoke.

Feeling the warmth of her tears coat her face, Hermione tried to pull herself back together, for James' sake.

"Can I see Lily?" she asked James, standing from her seat, wanting to leave as soon as possible. James nodded.

Putting her hand in his, Hermione gripped tightly at his fingers. She wanted him to know that she was there for him, no matter what. Feeling the familiar tug of apparition from behind her navel, it was only moments before they landed in a darkened alleyway. They moved towards the light at the end, onto the busy London streets where they would be able to gain access to St. Mungo's.

The hallways seemed cold and stark as James and Hermione walked along them. It seemed like a grim place to be.

"She's in here," said James in a low voice, ushering Hermione into a small but private hospital room.

Hermione entered to see Lily holding a small bundle in her hands. There seemed to be more blanket than there was baby. James was correct. She was perfect, except for the fact that she was no longer a part of their world.

"We named her Niamh," James spoke before taking his place in a chair beside Lily's bed.

"It means bright, or radiant," said Lily, smiling through her tears. "It is because for a few short months, she was the light of our life."

Hermione's mouth made a frown as she tried to her hold back tears of her own. Shaking her head, she couldn't contain it any longer, and she put her head in her arms.

"Lily, I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry..."

Hermione kept repeating these words as a mantra, and was almost shocked out of her skin when she felt a warm hand on her back. It was James pulling her into a hug.

"Don't be sorry," he said. "There wasn't anything you could have done. Sometimes these things just happen. I mean, really, who questions what you think is just another headache?"

Wondering if James' words were indeed true, Hermione excused herself. Unable to stand in their presence any longer, she walked out into the corridor just in time to catch sight of Sirius and Remus.

Seeing their friend so distressed, both men hurried over her.

"James owled us, saying that... saying...well. It's not good news," said Sirius, his voice full of anguish. Remus stood beside him, mouth set in a straight line whilst the rest of his face was an ashen colour. He was far too wrapped up in this recent turn of events to pay any more attention to Hermione.

"No," replied Hermione, conceding with Sirius. "It's not good news."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

It was only a short period of time before the men emerged from Lily's hospital room. Sirius exited first, followed by Remus. James was at the end of the line. He turned to speak to Hermione.

"Lily would like to see you again," he said, voice completely flat.

Hermione nodded, and stood, slowly entering the room once more.

Lily was in the same position as before: sitting up in bed with Niamh in her arms. Her fingers stroked the baby's face as gently as possible, as though she was scared that she might damage her in some way.

"People say that life is cruel," said Lily. Whilst her face had been damp previously, it was now dry, and Lily spoke with more clarity. "Life isn't cruel. It's beautiful. If we didn't live, we couldn't die and go to a more beautiful place. I hope Niamh is going to a beautiful place."

"She deserves only the very best," replied Hermione, wrapping one arm around Lily's upper body. "We're going to make this a better world. We really are, Lily."

"Hermione, do you think so?" asked Lily, tearing her eyes away from her baby whilst her arms clutched at her as tightly as ever. "Do you really think we can make the world a better place?"

"Yes," replied Hermione, feeling tears pooling at the corner of her eyelids once more. "We are already doing it, and it will all be for Niamh. We need to fight for her, and for every other child in the world. We can't leave them with nothing."

"I'm glad you think so. We need more people like you in the world, Hermione."

Hermione couldn't help but think of Remus as Lily said this. She couldn't help but be glad that there were no more people in the world like her. She had taken advantage of Remus in his vulnerable state. Hermione was sure of it. Now, she would never be able to forgive herself for it.

All that was left in her life was a whirlwind of Dumbledore and horcruxes. That would be the only thing that she would allow to be her goal.


	36. Chapter 35 Part 1

_**This chapter is going to be in multiple parts. I will (try to remember to) upload a new part each day. This first one is a bit short, but just remember that there is still quite a bit of the story to go.**_

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 35: Die Mission<span>**

**Mission**

Months of preparation had gone into this plan. Hermione had made sure that as many variables were taken care of as possible. She did not want to leave any room for error.

The recruits had either been informed or volunteered when they caught wind of the plan. Some seemed to be more willing than others, but each took the responsibility with the understanding that there was a very real chance that they could lose their life.

They had split into their teams, and each person had as detailed an outline as Hermione was able to give. No one knew that the objects they were seeking were horcruxes. All they knew is that they had to get their prize back to Hermione and Dumbledore in one piece.

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><p><strong><em>Part 1: Sirius and Remus<em>**

"Remus, will you quit being such a lousy companion, and just cheer up."

Remus gave Sirius a dirty look as he continued to walk beside him.

"Hermione gave us the hardest job out of all them," was all that Remus replied with. "How on Earth are we meant to go and find Helga Hufflepuff's cup? There is no guarantee that it is in the Lestrange vault."

Sirius looked thoughtful for a minute. He had always been the kind of person who had been up for a challenge when the opportunity presented itself, but even he thought that attempting to rob a vault at Gringotts was a little far-fetched.

"You're right," answered Sirius, his eyes widening in astonishment. "There is no guarantee that it will be in the Lestrange vault because Hermione said that Hufflepuff's Cup was entrusted to my 'darling' cousin Bellatrix. She is engaged to be married to Rodolphus, but she is not a Lestrange just yet. The Cup will still be in the Black vault, not the Lestrange vault as she is still a member of the Black family."

Sirius stopped walking, and he felt Remus do the same beside him.

"Sirius, this may be the only time I ever say this to you in your lifetime, so I want you to appreciate it: You are a genius."

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	37. Chapter 35 Part 2

**_Part 2: Severus and Regulus_**

"Why did you have to involve me in this?" Regulus spat towards Snape as they waded their way through several rock-pools. The tide had not receded yet, and waves kept sloshing at their feet threatening to keel them over straight into the churning water.

Snape rolled his eyes at the younger man.

"I _involved_ you because I know that you want a way to get out, and you have valuable information that we need to help you get out."

"And then what? You will all chew me up and spit me out as the Dark Lord will do when he finds out what you and I are up to?" Even over the shriek of the powerful winds, Snape could hear the bitterness in Regulus' voice. This was a young man who was accustomed to rejection, much like himself.

"Stop whining, Regulus. Clearly this is one familial trait that escaped neither you, nor your insufferable brother. Besides, we all know that this is the very thing that you were planning to do anyway. The Order just happened to beat you to the punch."

"Shut up and stop acting so high and mighty. You're no angel in this either," Regulus shouted, feeling more and more angry as the conversation progressed. "You might not care that others will get hurt, but I do. Unlike you Severus, I have something to lose. I have something at stake here."

Snape's obsidian eyes flashed with a bolt of energy that Regulus had not been expecting.

"Don't speak of what you can't possibly understand. Just walk ahead of me and lead the way, like you're meant to."

The two men silently trudged on until they came to the mouth of a cave.

"How do you know that it is this one?" Snape asked. "There are half a dozen others around here."

"I can feel it," said Regulus, allowing his hand to touch the cold rock surrounding him. "It's definitely this one."

Without any hesitation, he stepped across the threshold into the cave.

Upon entering, Snape immediately felt a shift in the air. It was cold outside, but here the air seemed even colder. The air itself seemed threatening, and he knew Regulus was telling him the truth.

Regulus seemed like he had entered a trance. His eyes were wide open but glazed over, like he was looking without really seeing. Both of his hands were outstretched in front of him, feeling up the solid stone of the cave's wall.

Snape's own eyes widened when he saw the younger man take a knife from his pocket and hold it out to his forearm. Hot blood spurted forth from where he dug the sharp blade in, and Regulus calmly coated the fingers on his other hand with the crimson liquid. After wiping his fingers on the wall, he pulled a cloth from one of his pockets. It did not look all that clean, but it would have to do.

"What did you do that for?" Snape spluttered in shock. His stomach felt queasy at the act.

"We need to make a donation to pass through," Regulus replied in a calm voice, wiping the last smudge of blood from his forearm.

As he spoke the wall seemed to blaze with light, and suddenly it was not there anymore. There was an opening in the rock that lead into absolute darkness.

"_Lumos_," muttered Snape holding his wand out in front of him. No matter where he seemed to shine the light, the darkness was so vast that everything seemed deeply out of sight. A quiet splashing sound could be heard, and within several footfalls Snape found himself at the edge of an enormous lake.

The middle of the water was illuminated by a green glow, and Snape found himself inexplicably drawn to it.

"Do not touch the water," said Regulus quickly, and Snape dropped his foot back down onto the moist ground. "It is tainted with Inferi."

Snape could not quite see the outline of Regulus' face, but it did not stop him from whipping his head around to face the source of the voice.

"Inferi?"

"I told you that he was a crude and vile creature beyond our contempt," Regulus couldn't help but sniggering as though he were pointing out something very simple to his companion.

"Careful he doesn't hear you, or worse, read your mind. We would be slaughtered before we could finish our thoughts," muttered Snape, clearly valuing the sense of security that Dumbledore's alliance caused him to have.

Standing at the edge of the lake, his toes millimetres from touching the water's edge, Regulus held his hand out about the surface of the water. The touch of his wand to his closed fist brought an enormous chain shooting up and out of the water. It slithered through his fist, bringing up with it a seemingly heavy object. Snape looked on with wide eyes, wondering many things about this whole exercise, but nothing more than how Regulus seemed to go about it all with practiced ease.

"Hop in," smirked Regulus. It was only then that Snape realised that the object summoned from the water was indeed a wooden boat. "The horcrux is just a short ride away."

Snape had reached a point that was beyond questioning Regulus' logic. He merely accepted what was happening, trusting that Dumbledore trusted this young man enough to allow him to undertake such an important task.

Placing one foot in the boat, Snape quickly realised that there would not be enough room for the pair of them.

"We can't both fit in this boat. What am I to do there alone?" he sneered at Regulus. "Or was this part of a plan to maroon me to that island, and leave me to die?"

"Simple," replied Regulus, a serious expression adorning his handsome features. "This boat will take you to the island. There you will find the horcrux in a basin of potion. You must drink this potion. _All_ of it. Then bring the horcrux back to shore."

"And it the potion kills me-"

"The potion will not kill you, Severus," replied Regulus, his voice with a tone of finality to it.

"And how do you know that it will not?"

"I know that it will not kill because I am the person who created that potion. The Dark Lord commissioned me to do so. It is no coincidence that I know the location of this cave, or the tricks of how to get into it. I designed half of it in conjunction with the Dark Lord. Before I came along it was nothing more than a few simple spells. A first-year could have created a counter-curse thanks to the arrogance of the Dark Lord. Now be useful, and go and drink that potion."

Snape watched as Regulus reached into a concealed pocket of his cloak. When he withdrew his hand, an object seemed to sparkle within his fingers, and Snape saw it soar through the air, landing at the bottom of the boat with a loud thud.

"Don't forget to replace the real locket, with this fake one."

Despite ever fibre of his being protesting, Snape did as he was bid. Stepping completely into the boat, he felt it jerk forward, pulling him closer and closer to the stone basin with Slytherin's locket.

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	38. Chapter 35 Part 3

**_There is a part of this chapter which comes from 'Deathly Hallows', obviously this belongs to J. K. Rowling and not to me._**

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><p><strong><em>Part 3: Hermione and James<em>**

"It feels like we've got the easiest job out of all the teams," said James to Hermione as they meandered their way through the quaint streets of Hogsmeade.

Hermione walked with her head facing the road ahead, seemingly focused on the task ahead. If she were honest with herself, she was really wondering how on Earth she had managed to pair herself off with James for this mission when he had been so adamant about being paired with Lily.

Oh, yes, now she rememeberd. James was one of few people who knew about the Room of Requirement. There was no chance in hell, heaven or Earth that Hermione would pair herself with Remus; and Sirius was put to better use. He was far more suitable to retrieve Hufflepuff's cup. Therefore, James became her only option. She did not want the others finding out about the Room of Requirement.

"We'll see about that when we actually go to retrieve the diadem. They had a tendency to put up a fight."

James snorted. "Put up a fight? It is a fancy tiara, what kind of fight could it possibly put up?"

Hermione took a moment to give her friend a scathing look before turning her head back to the road. Pulling her hands out of her pockets, she blew her hot breath onto her cold hands. She wished that the weather could be warmer, but at least they were only going as far as Hogwarts.

The familiarity would be far more warming than one of the fires in the Gryffindor common room.

"It is not just a 'fancy tiara' James. It is a piece of Voldemort, and I would be rather appreciative if you could take this a bit more seriously. I might have a bit of an idea of what we're facing, but to be honest with you, I feel like I don't have any clue at all."

Sensing that Hermione was being deathly serious, James quietened down. They were on the main road now, quite near the castle. Certainly, they were close enough to see lights flickering at windows, and a small black spot in the distance that signified the front gates of the school.

James looked up ahead, his eyes squinting against the bright light. It was very early in the morning, and the sun was only just rising and casting a faint pink glow to the fallen snow around them.

"I think that's McGonagall up ahead. She must be there to let us in."

A couple more minutes of walking found them at the gates of Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall was indeed waiting to let them into the grounds. Despite the early hour, she looked as put together as she always had been. Her hair was pulled back into such a severe bun that Hermione wondered if it ever gave her a headache.

"Come in quickly," she said in a low voice. "We need to get you in and out before the students come down for breakfast. Do you know exactly where you are heading inside the castle?"

James shrugged his shoulders, and looked over at Hermione. She had her arms up in a gesture that suggested she was blindly following what was in her memory. It had been proved right so far; but it had played tricks on her before, and there was no telling whether her brain was being truthful, or merely creating a memory for the sake of filling in the blanks.

"I don't know," Hermione replied, her voice small and defeated. "We will have to see when we get there. All we can do is get up to the Room of Requirement, and see what happens next."

McGonagall nodded and lead them up to the main doors of the castle. Her voice may have been quiet while they were speaking outside, but now she whispered, fearful of being heard.

"I have to leave you here. I cannot be caught by the other teachers. There would be no explanation that would save us. Good luck."

With her mouth pressed down into a firm line, she swiftly turned on the spot and began scurrying away presumably back to her own living quarters.

"Right," said Hermione, turning to face James. "We have about forty-five minutes to get up to the seventh floor, find the diadem and get back out into the grounds. Let's go."

The pair bolted up the stairs as fast and as quietly as they could. Reaching the seventh floor in record time, they felt pleased with themselves so far.

Panting, and rubbing her hand over a stitch that had formed in her side, Hermione walked around in a slow circle a couple of times in an effort to stave off leg cramps. She had forgotten that her fitness was not what it once was. James didn't seem to be in much better shape either, but it was Hermione who recovered first and began pacing in front of the bare patch of wall.

_I need the place where things are hidden. I need the place where things are hidden. I need the place where things are hidden..._

The door to the Room of Requirement materialised as it always had, and Hermione half-expected to find her little apartment nestled away behind it, exactly as she had left it. But this was not the case.

Towers seemed to rise above her and James when they entered the room. Piles of broken chairs littered unlikely corners. An old record player was still playing the warped music of a broken vinyl record. Old toothbrushes were gathered in an old tin cup, with decades of old meals still left in the bristles. Textbooks, covered with a rainbow of graffiti lined bookshelves.

Junk. That was all it was. Things people were too lazy to throw away. Things that people hoped to come back to find later. Hermione hoped that Tom Riddle had not come back yet to retrieve his stolen goods.

"I'll go this way," James pointed to the path straight ahead that lead to a couple of old upright pianos that were standing back-to-back. "You can go that way."

Hermione looked past his finger to see another corridor created by mattresses, cushions, pillows and blankets. At one point in time, someone had strung some thick twine across various points in the room. Hundreds, if not thousands of small objects were hung there. Key-chains had been looped around, padlocks were clicked shut and many pegs seemed to hang on their own without any clothing to attach themselves to.

Hermione nodded and started to creep down the narrow passageway, hoping that the pillows would not topple over and bury her in a sea of feathers. From what she remembered, the diadem was positioned on a stone bust of an old warlock.

Suddenly remembering that James would not understand the power it held, she called out to him.

"James! James, whatever you do, don't touch the diadem with your hand. Do not let it near your bare skin."

He called back in agreement, and Hermione let herself relax a little and focus on searching for the horcrux.

Wandering up and down each of the aisles, Hermione realised the magnitude of the task ahead. It could take her and James hours to find what they were looking for. The room seemed to get bigger and bigger with every corner that she turned.

_"Accio diadem!"_

Hermione heard James call out the spell, hearing the desperation clear in his voice. She understood his frustration, because she had felt it once. Following the sound, she came out to a small clearing that was created by a ring of small wooden boxes.

Hermione wordlessly opened one of them with her wand. A coil of pearls was neatly resting on the worn velvet lining. Her eyes flicked around the space, hoping for a clue of some kind. It was at this point that she wished for Harry most of all. He had a way of feeling the horcruxes in a way that Hermione never could. He may have been able to sense it within a minute of entering the room.

Looking down at her watch, Hermione saw that they had been in the Room for over twenty minutes. They only had a little while longer to find the diadem.

At that moment, the glass in Hermione's watch caught a bit of light from somewhere in the room. It was not the candlelight that illuminated the room, but something far brighter and more brilliant.

Hermione lifted her head to search for the source of the light, and directly out of the corner of her eye she saw a tinge of blue. Whipping her head around, she came face to face with numerous stone busts. Each seemed to have a headpiece on it, each with a varying degree of ridiculousness. One of them was covered in various peacock feathers, whilst another was so small that Hermione doubted that it would have ever been seen on anybody's head.

In amongst the various metals and jewels, Hermione saw a faint blue glow surrounding just one of the pieces. Her mind immediately catapulted her back to her seventh-year at Hogwarts.

_Flames of abnormal size were pursuing them, licking up the sides of the junk bulwarks, which were crumbling to soot at their touch._

_'Aguamenti!' Harry bawled, but the jet of water that soured from the tip of his wand evaporated in the air._

_'RUN!'_

_Malfoy grabbed the Stunned Goyle and dragged him along; Crabbe outstripped all of them, now looking terrified; Harry Ron and Hermione pelted along in his wake, and the fire pursued them. It was not normal fire; Crabbe used a curse of which Harry had no knowledge: as they turned a corner the flames chased them as they were alive, sentient, intent upon killing them. Now the fire was mutating, forming a gigantic pack of fiery beasts: flaming serpents, Chimeras and dragons rose and fell and rose again, and the detritus of centuries on which they were feeding was thrown up in the air into their fanged mouths, tossed high on clawed feet, before being consumed by the inferno. _

_Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had vanished from view: Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped dead; the fiery monsters were circling them, drawing closer and closer, claws and horns and tails lashed, and the heat was solid as a wall around them._

Hermione could feel herself hyperventilating at the memory; it felt like the heat was back in the room with her. She had not felt safe since she had landed in the past, but this feeling was now completely and utterly exacerbated to the point of delirium. She saw James in front of her with a look of both horror and concern on his face.

"Hermione?" _Hermione?"_ He seemed to be trying to grab her attention; trying to snap her out of her trance.

Hermione shook her head, attempting to create lucid thoughts in the process.

"I found it," she said to him, wondering if the hallucination was the work of the horcrux. It was almost certain in Hermione's mind, and nothing scared her more than the fact that it had chosen a memory which was yet to truly take place in this timeline.

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	39. Chapter 35 Part 4

**_Part 4: Dumbledore_**

Surprisingly, the shack was still standing when Dumbledore arrived. The bottom of his robes skimmed across the floor, sweeping the dust that was left there by years of abandonment. It was clear that no witch or wizard had wanted to put a toe near the place once Morfin Gaunt had died. Not that anyone ever had gone near the place anyway. Morfin Gaunt and his father Marvolo were not the most social of beings; and their tendency towards violence and abuse turned people away at an alarming rate.

Dumbledore's boot kicked at an empty glass bottle. It rolled away, removed from his path.

It would not take long to search for the place where it was hidden for there was not much furniture left. The room hummed of magic.

Marvolo and Morfinn may have had minds so dull that they were barely passable as human, but they did know dark magic when they needed it. If this was a horcrux, then Voldemort himself would have only added to the enchantments.

With his wand in one hand, the other was outstretched, feeling the various surfaces. His fingertips hardly made any contact at all with the surfaces, but his face was set with concentration.

Hermione had warned him of the possibilities that lay ahead, and he trusted her word. Mostly.

She had told him not to be tempted by the resurrection stone.

'There is no spell to reawaken the dead, Albus,' she had repeated, staring straight into his eyes. It had become annoying and monotonous.

Surely there would be some way to overpower the magic already placed on it. Magic always left signs. There was always a counter-curse.

'Not if you're dead,' said a small voice inside Dumbledore's head. He put away the voice of reason. One of the benefits of having a spacious and insatiable mind was that there were many pockets to place information, including that which you chose to ignore.

Holding his hand up to the open air, he felt it for any changes; if there were any twinges that might make the ring more obvious.

From what seemed to be his heart, he felt an incredible, indescribable pull towards an old wooden dresser. Dust lay thickly on it, and any china that happened to be left had been smashed into tiny pieces.

Mice droppings lay in small piles, and Dumbledore seemed to amuse himself by likening the dark lumps to raisins. What would Ariana and his mother think if they were summoned to a place that looked like this?

Mother would want to clean it immediately. She wasn't the kind of person who could stand any kind of squalor or filth.

Ariana, on the other hand, would take great pleasure out of trying to find the mice that left the droppings in the first place. She would hold them gently in her hand, stroking their soft ears, quietly scolding them as they tried to run away.

But first he must find the ring. The ring would solve all their problems.

Hermione could have the horcrux, and he could have the stone. It must have been what Hermione was planning all along. Surely, she could not expect him to pass up this kind of opportunity.

The dresser was still in its place, untouched as it had been for many years. Dumbledore was magnetised towards it. Unable to turn away, he reached for one of the drawers. Pulling it open, he was disappointed to find that it was empty. Perhaps it was the next drawer.

This one required a bit more effort. Years of damp weather alternating with blistering heat and swelled and retracted the wood, warping it and making it difficult to remove from its allocated slot.

By rattling the brass handle, and pulling at its sides, Dumbledore finally managed to prise it open. Yet again, this one was empty.

There was only one drawer left in the dresser. It would have to be in this one.

Not bothering to fight with the furniture any longer, Dumbledore used his wand to remove the drawer from its place. Even standing several feet away, he could see a faint green glow emanating from it in the darkness of the room.

The heels of his boots echoed across the shack as he stepped towards the ring.

After years of searching, it would finally be his. He could apologise to Mother and to Ariana. It would bring him closer to Aberforth, and all would finally be right in the world.

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	40. Chapter 35 Part 5

**_Part 5: Lily and Marlene_**

Hermione had begged, pleaded and beseeched Lily to reconsider. She had only lost her baby in December, and it was now only the end of January. It was hardly enough time to recover, either physically or mentally.

But Lily had seemed to do the unthinkable and take Hermione's words to heart.

'We need to do this for her,' Lily would keep repeating, in reference to Niamh. "We need to make this a better world. We owe it to her."

That was how she and Marlene had ended up planning to break into Malfoy Manor.

Hermione seemed to know Malfoy Manor enough to be able to tell them that there was a cellar underneath the floor of the drawing room. The manor itself was guarded by a heavy amount of magic, but the cellar itself sounded impenetrable when Hermione was describing it to them. There would be a diary in this cellar, placed there by the orders of Lord Voldemort. It was this diary that they needed to retrieve without being caught.

The pair had been practising curses and counter-curses for the best part of a month. Hermione had put them through a rigorous training session using all she knew, but the unforgivable curses. She knew that there was every chance that they would be used in the event that the young women were caught, but she didn't have the heart to employ them now. Lily was far too fragile for that, and the effort may have killed her before the mission had even begun.

In their previous meeting, Hermione had pulled them to one side, and spoken to them swiftly. Giving them their final instructions she bestowed each of them with a hug.

"They will not be expecting any of us to go near the place, let alone look for the diary. It may not be that heavily protected as yet. If something goes wrong, you need find a way to let me know as soon as possible. We can send back-up for the back-up you will already have."

The women nodded at her, not sure that even they fully understood the pressure they were placing themselves under.

Just as Hermione was about to leave them, she remembered the most crucial element to the whole plan. She pressed a piece of parchment into Marlene's visibly shaking hand.

"Here is the search warrant that Amelia managed to get for you. She sent a letter from the ministry telling Mr Malfoy to expect you. His son Lucius will no doubt be there as well, so be on your guard. He will try to pull the wool over your eyes, and lead you away. As far as he is concerned, no one but the Malfoy family are aware of the cellar, so he will not expect you to go down there. Your guards from the Ministry will be waiting there for you, and they will keep the family distracted to give you enough time to get down into the cellar and retrieve the diary. You need to escape with it as soon as you get it. They must not know that you have it."

Lily and Marlene nodded. Both girls had naturally pale skin, but now it was more of a ghostly white colour instead of cream mixed with freckles. Lily's red hair was swept up away from her face, creating a vivid contrast to Marlene's black curls.

"Rest up," said Hermione, placing one hand on each of their shoulders. "You've got a big day ahead of you."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Lily's alarm clock pierced through the darkness. It was the day of their mission.

James had already risen and left with Hermione. They were already off towards Hogwarts, needing to be there as soon as the sun was up.

Sending a silent prayer of good luck to them both, Lily crawled out of bed and began to prepare herself for the day ahead. Dressing warmly, she tucked her wand into a pocket hidden into the sleeve of her coat.

Even though she knew she would need to keep her energy levels up throughout the day, Lily could not stomach more than just a few bites of toast. A cup of hot tea was slightly more soothing, but the mug was still left half-empty.

A knock at the door revealed Marlene. Her black curls were tied to the back of her head with a blue ribbon, a colour which was as similarly striking as the blue of her eyes.

"Ready?" she said, her voice steady, but her hands shaking slightly by her sides. In the silence of the early morning, Lily could hear the gentle crinkling of the search warrant in Marlene's hands as she passed it from hand to hand in her apprehension.

"Let's go," replied Lily while she still had the nerve to do so.

Grasping the warrant tightly in one hand, and Lily's hand in her other, the pair walked out past the protective enchantments of the house. Even though the village of Godric's Hollow was mostly magical, it was an act of courtesy to the few muggles in the area to find a deserted alleyway to apparate in.

Twisting themselves on the spot, the pair of women soon emerged from the crushing darkness to find themselves in a different deserted laneway. Lily pulled her wand from her sleeve, and muttered a spell quietly under her breath.

The silver doe that emerged from her wand took the message she spoke to it, and went forward. Lily and Marlene stayed hidden in the alleyway, watching as their breaths emerged from their mouths in smoky spirals.

It was several minutes before another patronus made its way towards them.

Their guards were already here, and waiting in their position courtesy of Dumbledore and Hermione's previous arrangements. Lily and Marlene stepped forward cautiously, making their way through the streets at a brisk pace until they came to a wide driveway.

Summoning their team with a wave of their hands, Lily and Marlene crept along the gravel of the driveway, wincing with the noise that every step made. Through the diamond windows at the front of the house Marlene could see thick, emerald-green drapes obscuring any outside view, and she let out a sigh of relief.

The front door was black, and this only exacerbated the ominous feeling that it exuded. The team gathered around the young woman, wands held ready at their sides should any of the occupants of the Manor decide to put up a fight.

Marlene and Lily's back up comprised of several members of the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore had done some more recruiting over the Christmas break, and neither girl knew all of the members, however the familiar faces of Arthur Weasley, Fabian and Gideon Prewett peeked out, each masked in a layer of seriousness and concentration.

"Do you want to do it, or shall I?" whispered Marlene to Lily.

"I'll do it," Lily replied, reaching out with one hand to grasp the silver serpent knocker. Giving it two sharp raps against the dense wood, they stood back and waited.

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	41. Chapter 36 Part 1

**Chapter 36: Ausgetrickst**

**Trapped**

**_Part 1: Remus and Sirius_**

_"Sirius, this may be the only time I ever say this to you in your lifetime, so I want you to appreciate it: You are a genius."_

Sirius threw his head back with laughter.

"I'm glad you've finally come around to my point of view," he said, still chuckling. "At least I've always had confidence in myself, even if no one else has."

"Very funny, but let's get back to business. Hermione trusts us with getting the Cup, and bringing it back to Dumbledore for her. We can't let her down."

Sirius face immediately lost its gaiety, and his arms dropped down to his side.

"It's amazing how Hermione just happens to know all this stuff about You-Know-Who, and that she needs us to do all these things for her and Dumbledore. I think she is a lot more complex that what she lets on to any of us."

Remus snorted, putting his head down as he and Sirius continued to walk down Diagon Alley together.

"James seems to know more than what we do. She clearly trusts him more than what she trusts us."

"Prongs has known her for longer than what we have known her. That is to be expected. To be honest, I don't know her that well at all. Yeah, we talk, but I can't imagine us sharing our deepest, darkest secrets. You, on the other hand, were much closer with her than either Prongs or me."

Sirius left his words at that, hoping that Remus would be able to extrapolate the situation a little further. He had yet to open up about his failed relationship with Hermione. For Sirius, he had seen them together, and then suddenly they were not together without a hint towards the reason. All the while, they had left together at Christmas.

Remus stayed silent for a little while longer.

"I can't go back into the past to change what happened," he finally said to his companion. "I just need to get into the vault, get the cup and bring it back to her without anything going wrong."

"So, she doesn't trust you. Does she?" Sirius answered rather shrewdly.

Remus couldn't help but feel injured when Sirius said that, but he fought to keep his face neutral.

"Please Sirius, leave it alone. I can fight my own battles. Let's just get into the bank."

Remus walked up the stairs; towards the burnished bronze doors that lead to the small entrance hall of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Sirius followed behind, eager to be able to be of use for the Order, and by extension work on defeating Lord Voldemort.

The stopped just before the silver doors, eyes raking over the engraved words of warning:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed_

_For those who take, but do not earn_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn_

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there_

Sirius could not help wondering exactly what price a thief might have to pay, and shuddered. He may have not paid much attention at Hogwarts, but he knew enough to know that the Goblin Rebellions were brutal. If that was anything to go by, the situation would not be pretty. Indeed, he was now wondering why Hermione had set him to what might have ended up a spectacularly difficult task.

The Lestrange family vault would have been under immense security, the same if not more than the Black family vault. It would have been nigh impossible to get anything out of it anyway.

Consumed by his thoughts, Sirius did not realise that they he and Remus had approached the first counter operated by goblins.

"You need to do this part," Remus whispered to him. "It's your family's vault, not mine."

Sirius nodded, and walked up to the first goblin.

"Good morning, I am here to make a withdrawal."

"Your name?" sneered the goblin.

"Sirius Orion Black," he replied, taking great pleasure in seeing the smirk disappear from the face of the over-confident goblin.

"Very well," he said. "Follow me."

The pair followed the goblin through an enormous door, leading them immediately into what was almost darkness. Roughly cut stone made the walls, and Sirius could not help but scrape his hand along it as they walked towards the carts.

Climbing into a vacant cart, they sped and twisted along the tracks, heading deeper under the surface of the earth. The flaming torches seemed to blur in front of their eyes as they cast the bare minimum of light.

Vault seven hundred and eleven had no key. It was only as Sirius and Remus were climbing out of the cart that the goblin spoke to them once more.

"Stand back," was his curt instruction, the expression on his face almost ominous.

The door melted away instantly as they goblin touched it with only a finger. Grudgingly he stepped back, allowing Sirius access to the room; but he stepped back in front of the entrance as soon as Remus attempted to step over the threshold.

"He is here with me," commanded Sirius when he turned to see what the goblin was doing. "Allow him in."

The eyes of the goblin widened slightly before the skin his forehead wrinkled down into a scowl.

Remus stepped forward with his eyes wide as they took in all the sheer amount of wealth the Black family seemed to posses. Necklaces made of various jewels seemed to drip down off shelves, not even in any protective casings. The money in the vault was exclusively comprised of galleons, and piles of this were interspersed among rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and several stones which Remus couldn't identify. Suits of armour, swords and various tools of combat were carelessly piled in one corner.

Sirius made a 'humph' kind of noise as he too took in the view.

"The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," he sighed gesturing towards the contents of the vault. "This is what we have to show for ourselves. This; and a pile of heads from Aunt Elladora's house-elves. It's sickening, and I have no doubt that most of it is blood money. No one decent was ever this wealthy by chance or hard work. No Black has ever done an honest amount of hard work."

"You always did try and get me to write your essays at school," Remus chuckled, attempting to lighten the situation as he picked up a rogue galleon, wanting to toss it back into one of the already overloaded piles. It instantly exploded, and a shower of new galleons covered the surrounding ground.

Remus shouted in pain as he felt an intense heat penetrate the skin on his hand. "It burned me!"

Sirius kicked over a goblet, spilling small diamonds that were accumulated within it; but nothing happened.

"Hmm," he said, looking over at the fake galleons. "Regulus must have been in here recently. That never happened before. New spells and protective enchantments always were his forte. I'm only guessing here, but I think that would happen every time someone who was not a Black tried to touch it. Slimy git. Remind me to strangle him when I next see him."

Remus fanned his fingers in front of his face, gently blowing on them to cool the furiously red skin. Small, fluid-filled blisters had already begun to form at the base of his palm, near his wrist.

"Sirius, you can't hate him forever. He _is_ your brother, and he has agreed to help Dumbledore."

Sirius apparently did not want to discuss the matter any further.

"Shut up and help me find the cup. Just don't touch anything."

He reached forward into one of the piles, sifting through the treasure as he searched for the cup; Remus stayed rooted to the spot, scanning his eyes across the dim light of the vault.

"There it is," he said, pointing to one of the highest shelves. "Over there."

Sirius's eyes followed Remus' outstretched finger, to the very object they were searching for. The small, silver cup glinted at them, waiting to be picked.

"It's like she made it too easy," said Sirius referring to Bellatrix's placement of the Cup as he waded his way through the fortune at his feet. "Arrogant bi-"

"Sirius!"

"What? You know that she is," grinned Sirius, clearly pleased and at ease when it came to insulting his various relatives.

He finally made it over to the shelf, and his height made it easy to reach up with one hand and swipe the entire set of heirlooms from their repository. The items fell to the stone floor with a clatter.

"Did you really have to do that?" Remus reproached his fellow Marauder.

"Yes," replied Sirius, the grin on his face widening, as he used the other hand to secure the Cup. "Let's head off, that goblin over there might not be able to control himself for much longer."

Said goblin continued to glower at them from the doorway, not able to say a word as the two young men passed him on their way back to the cart.

A short ride back to the surface soon found them blinking in the daylight of Diagon Alley.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" said Sirius to a much less pale, and nervous-looking Remus. "I wonder how the others are getting on."

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	42. Chapter 36 Part 2

**_Just FYI: After today's update, I am going back to updating weekly._**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Part 2: Severus and Regulus <em>**

_Despite every fibre of his being protesting, Snape did as he was bid. Stepping completely into the boat, he felt it jerk forward, pulling him closer and closer to the stone basin with Slytherin's locket._

Severus picked the fake locket up from the bottom of the boat. Allowing the chain to slip through his fingers, he rubbed his thumb over the green stones.

Regulus had been telling the truth. The only way any person would have known to create such an exact replica would mean that they would have seen it up close. The stones did not glitter in the same way that real ones might, and there was no magical pull towards this object. Snape felt nothing but fear towards it. Regulus had said that the potion would not kill him, but it would surely incapacitate him in some way. Otherwise, what would be the point of having it there?

"Just remember to use fire!" Snape heard Regulus' voice growing fainter as he sped away from the shore. It was then that Snape remembered the Inferi that were just below the surface of the water, waiting for him to accidently breach the surface of the water.

The boat halted, bumping into the edge of an island. It seemed large in the space, but as Snape stepped foot onto it, he could see that it was probably no larger than the average school classroom.

He looked back towards the shore, and saw a grinning Regulus mime the act of drinking. The instructions he was given came flooding back as he approached the stone basin which was emitting an iridescent green glow, drawing him closer to it.

'Drink it,' Regulus had said to him. He ought to have known better than to trust a Death Eater.

Approaching the basin, Snape held out his hand but found that he couldn't even get close to it. An invisible force-field kept his hand from reaching the locket which was glistening under the surface of the potion.

_Drink it_

Severus almost felt like he was being imperiused, but it did not take much brain power to figure out that it was only his own mind speaking to him.; but how was he meant to drink it?

Looking around, he saw that there was nothing on the island but the stone basin.

Removing his wand from an inner pocket of his robe, he twirled it in midair, conjuring a goblet made of glass. He took it in his hand, and before he could change his mind, he dipped it into the cool, green liquid.

Pressing the edge of the goblet to his lips, he tipped his head back and began to drink.

It was vile. Putrid. Absolutely disgusting; like every horrible substance in the world had been turned to liquid and poured into this basin. His body began to tremor as he realised that there were probably at least a dozen goblets of potion that needed to be drunk.

It was not the potion that was evil. It was Regulus. He was the one who had designed and invented this kind of a security system.

Severus plunged the goblet into the potion once more, determined to override it. Again, and again he dipped the goblet it, and drained it. He had barely taken a sip of the fifth goblet when the visions came.

It was Lily, and her depraved sister, Petunia. Gripping the edge of the basin, his breathing began to get heavy. But he must drink the potion.

Gulping it down between breaths, he felt his eyes begin to close. They were dead to him, and yet they were here in front of him. If he opened his eyes he would see them. He failed her. He could not save his precious Lily from the Potter boy.

Another goblet of potion disappeared down his throat.

"No!" he felt himself shouting. "You're the freak!"

The Petunia that was in front of him dissolved and Lily grew bigger and began to warp. The red hair that he loved so much turned into a deep purple, and her skin began to flake and fracture, with large red cracks appearing across her features.

"You were spying!"

"You hurt my Tuney!"

"MUDBLOOD!"

The apparition continued to wail fragmented memories at him, throwing his own words back at him.

Snape began to sob.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

His entire body was now convulsing and it took a great effort to refill the goblet once more. His insides felt as though they had combusted into powerful flames.

"Noooo," he moaned, wanting nothing more than a giant bolt of lightning to vaporise him on the spot.

"Please... KILL ME!"

Suddenly, he could hear a voice from the distance. It was telling him to keep drinking, no matter what.

One last goblet full of potion disappeared down his throat, and the burning began to increase, spreading from his stomach, up his oesophagus and into his mouth.

He needed water.

Curling his fingers around the locket in the basin, he dropped his body to the floor bringing the goblet with him.

'_Aguamenti_,' he rasped, pointing his wand to the goblet.

It filled with cool, clear water and he gratefully brought it to his lips only to find that it had emptied. Stomach heaving, he tried it again.

"_Aguamenti! AGUAMENTI!_"

Still, the liquid kept disappearing. Feeling absolute desperation, he did the only thing which made any sense to him at all. Crawling over to the edge of the island, he plunged the goblet into the water.

All at once the water began to churn around him. Limbs severed from their owners began to snap and crack out of the lake.

Chugging the water down, he vaguely remembered another command as his lucid brain began to function once more.

Fire.

He needed to make fire.

"_INCENDIO_" a voice cried that was not his own.

Snape felt weak, but he forced his eyes open towards the shore. There he saw Regulus with his wand pointing out towards the lake, flames erupting from the tip of his wand.

"Get into the boat!" he shouted back to Severus, fighting to be heard over the roar of the fire.

Feeling feeble, Snape stumbled over to the boat, almost falling in. The potion had greatly weakened his body and his mind. The image of Lily was still playing over and over in his head. He had failed her, and she hated him. There was no hope now.

Without Snape even noticing, the boat had sped its way back to the shore, and Regulus was lifting him onto the rocks.

"Here," he heard Regulus speak. "Drink this."

Snape opened his eyes a fraction to see the edge of a glass vial being held to his lips.

"No!" he cried out. "No more! Please!"

"It's not the potion," soothed Regulus. "It is the antidote. Be good, and drink it all up."

Snape did as he was bid, and drank the purple liquid, immediately sighing in relief. Body sagging to the floor once more, he closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take over his body.

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	43. Chapter 36 Part 3

**_Part 3: Hermione and James (The Diadem)_**

_Hermione could feel herself hyperventilating at the memory; it felt like the heat was back in the room with her. She had not felt safe since she had landed in the past, but this feeling was now completely and utterly exacerbated to the point of delirium. She saw James in front of her with a look of both horror and concern on his face._

_"Hermione? Hermione?" He seemed to be trying to grab her attention; trying to snap out of her trance._

_Hermione shook her head, attempting to create lucid thoughts in the process._

_"I found it," she said to him, wondering if the hallucination was the work of the horcrux. It was almost certain in Hermione's mind, and nothing scared her more than the fact that it had chosen a memory which was yet to truly take place in this timeline._

James turned to look at the object at which Hermione had started to point at.

"Right," he replied. "What are we going to do with it?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Dance around it in a circle," she drawled with her voice full of sarcasm. "We'll take it back to Headquarters, you silly boy."

"Silly boy?" James repeated, quite clearly amused at Hermione's attempt at... well, he didn't quite know what it was. It hardly counted as an insult.

"Be quiet and help me find a box to put it in," Hermione replied with mild frustration as she began sorting through piles of rubbish, searching for something they could use to carry the Diadem.

"Aha, here we go!"

Hermione tipped a wooden box forward so that the old necklace that was previously in it fell to the floor. Kicking this to one side, Hermione used her wand to levitate the diadem into the velvet lining of the box.

Snapping the lid shut, she put it under her arm, and motioned for James to follow her back out of the castle.

**HPHPHPHPHPHP**

Arriving back at the Hog's Head Inn, James and Hermione saw that they were the only people who had arrived back.

"Aberforth?" Hermione tentatively called out.

A man with a scraggly beard, almost as impressive as Albus Dumbledore's appeared from behind the corner.

"Humph," he grunted. "First ones back. Any news on the others?"

Hermione's heart sunk, and she felt James tense next to her. "No, not yet. We'll just wait here until they do."

Aberforth's face softened.

"Go on 'round the back, in the annexe. You'll be more comfortable there. Old Figgy was around earlier with new crotched cushion covers, and knitted blankets. I'll bring you some tea in a minute."

"Something stronger, if you've got it," murmured James. Aberforth must have heard him because he nodded, and disappeared once more.

Hermione followed James up a set of stairs until they came to a sitting room. Bleakly waving a 'hello' to Ariana's portrait, Hermione stumbled through the portrait hole when Ariana opened it up to them, to a second sitting room.

This one was much larger; certainly it was large enough to house the entire Order of the Phoenix when it came time to have a meeting. Arabella Figg had indeed been in that morning. There was much less rubbish around, and a new pile of blankets had erupted beside one of the squishy couches. Hermione went to collect one of these blankets, and quietly slipping her shoes off; she curled up on one of the couches and pulled the blanket over herself.

After a short while, Aberforth came up with some tea and sandwiches. Hermione took a bite of one of the sandwiches, but instantly regretted it. Her mouth was so dry that everything tasted like ash and soot. Only the hot, sweet tea was good with what she recognised to be a hint of brandy.

James seemed to take a similar position to her, gazing out into the empty room as they waited.

The diadem lay on a table in the middle of the room, neither of them paying much attention to it at all until a loud clatter could be heard from outside the door. Remus and Sirius stumbled in, much to the surprise of Hermione.

She instantly stood from the couch, eyes searching over their bodies, looking for any injuries or disfigurements. Finding none, her eyes then snapped to the small cup that was dangling off Sirius' finger. He set it on the table, beside the box containing the diadem.

"Don't touch the Cup," he said to both Hermione and James. "I don't know what protective enchantments are on it, but if it's the same as the others, then it will burn you. Just ask Remus."

"The rest of the Black family are as twisted as Sirius," Remus grinned, walking over to a cupboard in a corner of the room, ignoring the light-hearted shout of protest from Sirius. He searched the shelves until he found what he was looking for: a small green bottle.

Uncorking the bottle with his teeth, he poured a tiny amount of the liquid onto his burns, sighing in relief as some of the redness began to disappear. Hermione had insisted that a number of antidotes and remedies be ready for them in that room, just in case; and for that, Remus was currently extremely grateful.

"What happened?" asked Hermione. "I didn't expect you to be back for hours, at least."

"It seems as though some of the information you gave us was slightly incorrect, darling Hermione," began Sirius. "You told us that the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff would be in the Lestrange vault, because You-Know-Who entrusted Bellatrix with it. However, my marvellous brain seemed to make more sense of the situation."

"Cut the crap, Pads," smirked James, clearly wanting to hear the full story as soon as possible.

"Basically," Remus butted in, "the Cup _was_ entrusted to Bellatrix, but she is not yet married to Lestrange yet. She is still a Black, so the Cup was in the Black Family vault. She can't have access to the Lestrange vault until she and Rodolphus are married."

Sirius, slightly annoyed that Remus had stolen the limelight from him, took over.

"All I had to do was waltz into Gringotts, use my 'noble and most ancient' name and we were out in five minutes, flat. It wasn't even half the problem that you made it out to be, Hermione."

Hermione sighed in relief, but her apprehension was not yet over.

Dumbledore had not returned with the ring.

Lily and Marlene were due to invade Malfoy Manor at any moment.

James may have calmed slightly, but Hermione knew that he was thinking of Lily, and like her, he was just waiting for her call for back-up.

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	44. Chapter 36 Part 4

**_Part 4: Dumbledore_**

Not bothering to fight with the furniture any longer, Dumbledore used his wand to remove the drawer from its place. Even standing several feet away, he could see a faint green glow emanating from it in the darkness of the room.

The heels of his boots echoed across the shack as he stepped towards the ring.

After years of searching, it would finally be his. He could apologise to Mother and to Ariana. It would bring him closer to Aberforth, and all would finally be right in the world.

Or would it?

He still would have made all those mistakes in his youth, and bringing back his family would do nothing to atone to his sins.

The voice of reason slowly emerged from the vacuous part of his brain. The more he gave it attention, the stronger it grew.

He pointed his wand at the ring, and wordlessly levitated it so that it would be in front of his face. Peering at the magical object, a myriad of thoughts flickered in and out of his mind.

How could one ring cause so much trouble?

Even more, how could he still be so tempted by it? Surely, he had moved past this childish stage of his life where he lost his inhibitions and self-control?

It was time to put the play-things away.

He slowly lowered his wand, thereby depositing the ring on the shelf of the dresser; but his eyes now landed on the wand itself.

An elder wand, as evaluated by Ollivander. There was far too much evidence for there to be a coincidence. What if this was the Elder Wand. This was the wand that had been made legendary by folklore.

He had the wand.

He now had the stone.

All that was needed was the cloak of invisibility, the the trio would be complete. They were here in the room. All he had to do was reach out and grab it.

Without any conscious effort, it seemed, his hand began to inch forward. The tiniest amount of skin touched the edge of the metal, and instantly, an intense heat began to permeate his skin. With the uninjured hand, he pulled back the sleeve of his robe to see black lines encircling and twisting their way up his arm. His veins had turned to ash underneath his skin.

Although he did not notice the pain at first, his whole arm was throbbing with increasing intensity. A number of sharp pains were shooting upwards from his hand where his finger had touched the ring.

He needed to see Regulus and Severus. They would be able to help him.

And Hermione.

She would have the answer. She always did.

He needed the Headquarters of the Order. Everyone would be there and waiting for him.

A sense of shame flowed through him as he thought this. The others had counted on him getting the ring back to them safely so that it could be destroyed. It was evil; and here he was, tempted by it.

Tom Riddle always did know how to play to the weakness of his opponents.

With his good hand, he swirled his wand in the air. A velvet pouch appeared on the dresser in front of him, and with a bit of clever wand-work, Dumbledore was able to secure the ring in the pouch and hide it amongst his robes.

Stepping out of the dilapidated shack, he turned on the spot and vanished, as if he had never been there at all.


	45. Chapter 36 Part 5

**_Part 5: Lily and Marlene _**

The door opened to reveal a shabbily dressed house-elf. His body was crouched over almost as though he was bowing, but his head was projected upwards gazing at the unexpected visitors with curiosity and fear.

"Yes, misses," he said in a high-pitched voice. "How can I be of service?"

Marlene was the one to speak, whilst Lily stood by her with a look of defiance on her face.

"We are here on behalf of the Minister of Magic, Theodora Frances Warnock with a verified warrant to search this dwelling, as belonging to Mr Abraxas Malfoy."

The complexion of the house-elf paled to the colour of lumpy porridge.

"One moment, Miss," the house elf began to stammer. "I-I will just get the m-master for you."

Lily could not help but feel pity for the house-elf, as he shut the door in their face. She waited at the front of the mansion, with Marlene by her side, and their back-up dutifully waiting behind them.

The door opened again, and this time the face of an elderly gentleman appeared. His white-grey hair almost seemed to blend into the equally pale skin of his forehead. The expression on his face belied the arrogant look of his features.

"Abraxas Malfoy," he said, stretching out his hand for the girls to shake. Lily and Marlene reciprocated, somewhat reluctantly. They did not want to get too friendly with the person they were here to incriminate.

Yes, they were here to search for the horcrux, but if they managed to find a few other items of contraband, what was the harm in killing two birds with one stone?

"Pleasure," Marlene squeezed out from her forced smile. "If you don't mind, we have some business to attend to here. Minister of Magic, Theodora Frances Warnock has verified a warrant to search this dwelling and the surrounding property on the grounds of potential contraband items."

The senior Mr Malfoy laughed, and stepped to one side.

"Oh, that will be my son, Lucius. He is always bringing home some new toy, or another. You are free to search the house, and take away whatever you feel is necessary. Perhaps it will teach that boy a lesson."

Lily could hardly suppress her smirk at how Mr Malfoy spoke about his son. The man was twenty-four years old – hardly a 'boy'. However, she did not complain. The Malfoy's were being somewhat obliging to a search warrant of their house.

Not giving any person the chance to protest, Lily stepped over the threshold and into the house. Feeling Marlene and the others follow her, they immediately set to work. Quickly flitting their eyes about the entrance hall, they searched for anything that might be of immediate danger to them. Almost instantly, Lucius Malfoy appeared from behind a pillar.

"What is this mudblood and her friend doing in this house?" his tone venomous as he edged closer to them. Lily could see his hand itching to reach into his jacket, no doubt ready to pull his wand from it; however, she kept her resolve.

"We are here under the order of the Ministry, so I would thank you to stay out of our way."

But Lucius was not ready to give in that easily.

"The order of the Ministry? I would like to think that they ought to know better than to pry into other people's affairs, especially when we work to benefit them so much."

"Lucius!" Abraxas hissed at his son. "Just sit down and let them do their job. The quicker they start, the quicker they will finish."

"Thank you, Mr Malfoy," replied Lily coolly. "I suggest you listen to your father more often, Master Malfoy. Mister Weasley and Misters Prewett will stay here as your guard while we search the rest of the house. Is Mrs Malfoy present in the house?"

"No," replied Abraxas. "She is absent visiting relatives, and will not return until the end of the week."

Lily nodded in acknowledgement, and motioned for Marlene to follow her. The instructions that Hermione had given them were at the fore of Lily's mind.

_"There is a door that leads off from the drawing room...go through this door and you'll find yourself in a dark passageway. Follow this, and about halfway down there will be two doors. Take the door on the left. Don't step too quickly because it will open up to a steep flight of stairs."_

_Hermione stopped only now to draw a breath, so focused was she on imparting the correct details. Even she was relying on what she had been told by Harry. When she had last been in Malfoy Manor, she had remained in the drawing room being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange whilst Harry and Ron were dragged below._

_"Go down that flight of stairs to the very bottom. There is a very heavy door there that is the entrance to the cellar. I don't know what else will be down there, but all I need is the diary. It may or may not be inscribed with Tom Marvolo Riddle. It may put up a fight – I don't know - so be prepared. Always be on your guard."_

The girls followed the instructions, feeling spooked by the sudden change in atmosphere. Whilst the rest of the Manor felt cold and uninviting, this part that was on the other side of the drawing room had a different kind of chill attached to it. The dim light that was present, was only provided by the weak flames of a few widely-spaced lamps that were hanging off the walls from rusting nails. It was clear that this was not a part of the manor that was shown to guests.

Arriving at the bottom of the stairs, Marlene and Lily found that the door was firmly bolted shut, and that there were several protective enchantments. Hermione had been right. They had not been expecting anyone from the Ministry, and the enchantments were weak. Not to mention, the lock was muggle.

"_Finite Incantatem_," Lily whispered before feeling a rush of air pass her as the magic lifted. The only security left was the padlock. Even if the Malfoy's had a guest who decided to come exploring down in this part of the manor, they probably wouldn't trouble themselves with something as trivial as a padlock.

'_Alohomora_," she was whispering again, hoping to not to be heard by the occupants of the house. Lucius Malfoy would not care for the legitimacy of a search warrant. He had things locked down here that would even incriminate a wizard with a squeaky-clean record.

But the lock did not open.

"That's funny," said Marlene in a low voice. "Usually that works."

Lily shrugged, not knowing why the spell had not worked. Not wanting to waste any more time, she silently reached into her hair to pull out a single hair pin. Inserting this into the lock, she jiggled it for a bit before hearing the necessary click.

The door instantly swung open into a room so dark, that neither Lily nor Marlene could see their hands in front of their faces.

"_Lumos_," muttered Marlene, and a thin beam of light pierced through the thick darkness. Motioning for Lily to do the same, the girls began their search.

Marlene almost instantly had a near miss, and had to jerk her hand away rather quickly when she brushed up against various vials of potions. She could not recognise them, but she had no doubt that should she come into contact with any of the liquid, the result would not be a good one. They didn't look as much potion as they did poison.

A number of wooden cases were tightly closed shut; bolted closed with a similar lock to that of the door to the cellar. A string of pearls was sitting on a velvet cushion towards the centre of the room, a note was written on what looked like a scrap piece of parchment warning any witch or wizard not to wear the necklace. Apparently it would asphyxiate any person who put it around their neck.

It was next to this necklace that Lily first spotted the diary. Turning it over in her hand, she shone the light of the wand close enough to be able to make out the words 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' on the back cover.

"Marley!" she called in a loud whisper. "Look, Marlene. I've found it. Hermione was right."

Marlene looked on with wide eyes.

"Is there anything that girl has not been right about?"

Despite their current situation, Lily could not help but chuckle.

"I don't think so! A regular Cassandra Trelawney, that one is."

The girls went silent, ears desperately trying to pick up any noises from the main area of the house. Only the gentle thud of footsteps prevailed from the upper floors.

Determining that the coast was clear, they hurried up and out of the cellar as fast as their feet would carry them. Just before entering the drawing room once more, they stopped to catch their breath. Lily tucked the diary into the waistband of her pants, smoothing her shirt over the top. Those who did not know that the diary was there would not be able to recognise where she had hidden it.

Stepping into the drawing room, Lily and Marlene surveyed the scene before them.

Lucius and his father were sitting on two straight-backed chairs whilst the members of the Order were still searching around the remainder of the house. Only Fabian, Gideon and Arthur remained in the room, faces set like stone.

The girls gave the men a knowing look. Fabian raised his wand and a stream of brilliant white light issued forth, transforming into a patronus. He murmured a few words to it so that the others in the room could not here, but Lily already knew that it was a message to round up all the other members of the Order. Irrespective of what else was in the house, they had what they needed.

All that they could do now was head back to Headquarters, and hand in their prize.


	46. Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Potenzial

Potential

Aberforth Dumbledore got the shock of his life when he saw Hermione suddenly appear in the midst of his bar. The crash and subsequent splintering of a glass did nothing to mask the sound of Hermione's apparition.

"Damn, girl, haven' I told you not to do that sort o' thing in my bar?" he cried out, wheezing slightly as he bent down to pick the shards of glass up and off the floor.

Hermione grinned. With the sudden increased frequency of her visits, she had become rather friendly with Aberforth. Even so, she knew him to only be half joking about her apparating directly into the bar.

"Oh, come on Ab. You know that I have to do it. Albus ordered it now that the Death Eaters are making a more regular appearance on the outside. We can't have them knowing how we really use this place."

Aberforth grumbled a little under his breath, waving Hermione away.

The inside of the bar was warm, and Hermione pulled the scarf from her neck as she climbed the stairs to the first sitting room. Then a quick wave to Ariana meant that she was granted access to the annexe. Knowing that she would be the only person there, she made herself a quick cup of tea before knuckling down to do some work.

The horcruxes had been collected, and deposited here in the room. They had been kept locked in a cupboard for over a month. Only Hermione had the key to get into it, and no other person dared to prod a toe near it. In fact, many were fearful.

They were not aware that the objects were horcruxes; many did not even know what a horcrux was. But they had seen the injuries that had been inflicted on Dumbledore and Severus. Both had been attended to by Regulus Black.

More than one member of the Order had been shocked to see Regulus, and Sirius had almost started several fist-fights irrespective of how many times Dumbledore had warned them to be cordial and trusting. Apparently Regulus had many talents, and with him being the very person who had created many of the protective enchantments for Voldemort, he had a pretty good idea of what was required to fix the aftermath.

Dumbledore's arm remained injured; it had been touched by cursed magic, and there was nothing that could be done to remedy that. However, the curse had been successfully removed before any more damage could be inflicted.

Snape on the other hand. had been a little more tricky.

Although Regulus had administered the antidote to him almost immediately, the psychological damage was far more apparent. On the odd occasion when Snape decided to attend a meeting, he would sit in silence as he stared at the ground. His face and hands were the only things that were not covered by his billowing, black robes; and even these looked far more pale and gaunt than usual.

Hermione desperately wanted to help him; but she did not know how. She could hardly invite herself into his home and have a one-to-one session about what he saw in the cave. It was obvious, even to the most casual passer-by that he was already reliving his worst memories every waking moment of the day. He did not need Hermione there to further dissect them.

Reverting her thoughts back to the present, Hermione took a key that was hanging on a silver chain around her neck. Pushing it into the lock of the cupboard that contained the horcruxes, she opened the doors to reveal what had taken months of planning to acquire.

Although the room of silent, Hermione was sure that she could hear the ever-present ticking of Slytherin's locket. If she didn't know any better she might have thought that it had a heart.

Staring at these objects for a few moments longer, Hermione allowed her previous conversations with a still recuperating Dumbledore to permeate her psyche. He had been as unrelenting as ever in his over-arching plans, and this scared Hermione immensely.

_"An open attack will not stop him!" Hermione cried out in exasperation. It was the third time she had stated it this evening, and it was becoming wearisome. She needed Dumbledore to understand her point of view._

_"It is the only way to stop him," Dumbledore replied, his voice even and calm. "How else would we lure him to where we need him to be?"_

_"Lure him? He is not a fish, Albus. He is much smarter than that."_

_Dumbledore's eyes blazed despite his physical self-control._

_"He is more foolish than what you think, Hermione. Think of how much we have already outwitted him. It is imperative that he finds out about the prophecy. It is imperative that he seeks Harry out on Halloween night. Once he is there, then we may begin to assault him. He will be free from the protection of his Death Eaters, and therefore we will have a better chance."_

_Hermione almost wanted to rip her hair out in frustration. This was the very thing that she had spent the last two years trying to avoid. It had been her aim to prevent any harm from coming to Lily, James or Harry. This would completely throw a spanner in the works. Not to mention the fact that it would be another two years before any of that would eventuate; and there was the crucial detail of Voldemort still being under the protection of the horcruxes._

_The situation did not bode well._

_"And tell me, Albus," said Hermione, losing patience with the Headmaster. "What will we do when he gets there? We do not have the army that he does. He would wipe the Order out with one sweep of his wand. We might have the horcruxes in our possession, but what if he tries to kill Harry and his soul splits again. We are no closer to destroying the horcruxes that we already have. The situation is far too complex. You need to put these silly ideas out of your head!"_

_This was the first true argument that Hermione had ever had with Dumbledore, and she was quaking in her boots as she spoke. But it was imperative that she get her point across, even with Dumbledore's consistent rebuttal._

_"Silly ideas? If anyone needs to get rid of those, I would have to say that it would be you, Hermione. If you think that any of us are going to escape unscathed, then perhaps you need to have a long and hard look at yourself. This is war, and you can't save everyone. No one can."_

_Hermione's breathing intensified as she fought to keep what was left of her resolve. She knew that Dumbledore was correct. There would be no way that any of them would make it out without being hurt in some way, as much as the thought pained her._

_When she spoke again her voice was quieter, and she had unclenched her fists from her side._

_"I know that I am still hurting from the first time this happened, but you have to understand that this is the third war that I will have to deal with the effects with. I may have not been around the first time around, but even when I was a student at Hogwarts, people were still scared. They may have acted carefree, but they were still scared. They still slept with their wands under their pillows at night. Then the second way came around, and I was old enough to fight, and I saw my friends get killed. I watched as they were murdered, wishing that there was something more that I could do. Each time someone got hurt, I swore that it would be the last time; and guess what? It wasn't. It never was, because people I love are still getting hurt, and here you are, wanting to hurt them some more. So, please, excuse me for being a little oppositional."_

_Dumbledore stayed silent for a few more minutes, weighing up Hermione's thoughts in his head._

_"i guess we have reached an impasse," he finally spoke. "i think that until we find a way to destroy the horcruxes, there will be no resolution to any of our problems. We can only minimise the damage that He causes."_

_"What of destroying the horcruxes?" Hermione's voice was hesitant. She did not have the energy to start another argument._

_Dumbledore looked at her curiously._

_"You mentioned that they must be destroyed beyond repair. Correct?"_

_Hermione nodded her head. "Correct."_

_"In that case, we have a limited number of options open to us. Fiendfyre, as you have previously mentioned was effective, however very dangerous. We have no way of controlling it once it starts, and may well kill ourselves in the process. There is a small chance of this working, and I think that it may remain as a last resort."_

_Hermione audibly sighed, sensing a sense of futility in the entire operation. Until, that is, a particular thought crossed her mind._

_"Professor, what about the basilisk that lives under the school. Is there a chance that we might be able to harvest its venom, and use this to destroy the horcruxes?"_

Hermione's brain zoomed back to the present, and she immediately shut the doors to the cupboard, once again locking them securely. She had allowed herself to come under the influence of them. Whenever she was in their midst, she would think of nothing but terrible thoughts.

It was not helping the situation, and she sat down with her cup of tea to mull over the possibilities.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

_Happy Birthday to you!_

_Happy Birthday to you!_

_Happy Birthday, dear Hermione!_

_Happy Birthday to you!_

Hermione sat at her kitchen table, not knowing what to do with herself. That moment of awkwardness when everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' to you defied explanation. She turned her head to smile at everyone until it was all over.

Feeling reluctant to even celebrate her birthday, she had been coerced into having a small party with her closest friends by James. He had said that it had been two years since she had arrived in this time, and she had yet to acknowledge a birthday despite the fact that she should have celebrated at least one in that time frame.

However, then there came the slightly perplexing discussion of how old Hermione would be turning. It was currently 1979, and that meant that this birthday would be the one where Hermione was actually meant to be born. Since she had technically turned twenty-one in the year that she arrived, and two years had elapsed since the, there were now twenty-three candles on her chocolate and vanilla birthday cake.

Gingerly taking the knife that was placed beside the cake, she pointed its tip towards the centre of the cake, hoping that it would not explode. James and Sirius had said that they had made the cake with their own, bare hands. Lily had said that she supervised the whole procedure, and this was the only thing that comforted Hermione as she pressed the blade into the cake's crumbly texture.

Drawing back the knife she almost sighed with relief until she saw that the knife had come out of the cake dirty.

"Oh no!" she softly cried, eyeing the mixture of cake icing and crumbs that had adhered themselves to the blade.

"What's wrong?" asked Lily, wondering if the men had slipped something into the cake batter when she wasn't looking, until she saw Hermione staring at the knife. She immediately burst into a round of giggles.

"Oh, I see what the problem is," Lily gasped out, suddenly howling with laughter despite how perplexed everyone else in the room was.

"Care to share what is so hilarious?" Sirius asked, scratching his head.

"The knife came out dirty!" laughed Lily.

"And?"

"And it means that I have to kiss the nearest boy!" giggled Hermione. "Sirius, sweetheart, would you come over a little closer. You seem to be the best positioned. Be a dear and kneel down so that I can reach your cheek."

Everyone else in the room now understood the joke, and was chortling along, amused by this muggle practice. Sirius, on the other hand, looked nothing less than horrified.

"I…. what?" he spluttered, as he was urged forward by James.

Without giving him a chance to protest, Hermione swooped forward and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. A peachy-pink colour instantly flooded his cheeks until it was quickly replaced by a crimson red. However, unbeknownst to Hermione, Sirius was not the only person in the room changing colour.

Remus was sitting in the far corner of the room, feeling unreasonably angry at what was taking place in front of him. The logical part of his brain knew that Sirius was as much a victim as what he was, and that it was only a silly tradition after all; but he could not help feel the ugly green monster of jealousy rear within him.

Taking a quick swig of his butterbeer, he managed to ground himself before he could charge at Sirius like he very much wanted to. It was irrational, and he knew it, but it was like he no longer had control over his feelings any more.

It had been well over a year since he and Hermione had any sort of romantic relationship; with the except of that one night at Christmas. Perhaps he ought to be over it by now. They simply couldn't trust one another.

She knew about his secret. Padfoot and Prongs constantly made reference to it as being his 'furry little problem', but it was far from cuddly. It was downright painful, and it kept him awake on more than just the nights he transformed. He hated himself for it, and wanted it to go away. If only he wasn't a werewolf, then so many things in life would be easier.

Something at the back of his mind made him believe that there was far more to Hermione than what she was letting on, and he wished with all his heart that he knew what that something was. Then, and only then could they forge some kind of a positive relationship.

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	47. Chapter 38

**_*Long chapter alert*_**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 38: Die Last der Welt<span>**

**Weight of the World**

It was the hissing and spitting of flames that rose Hermione from her stupor. It was early in the day, and she had not yet had her morning cup of tea. At least this is what she attributed the cause of her slow brain function.

"Hermione?" a voice garbled out of the flames.

Hermione instantly jumped out of her seat. A head had appeared, and it peered back at her from the flames.

"Lily?" gasped Hermione, once she had recovered enough to make slight sense of the turn of events.

"Hermione, you have to come over," the head of Lily urged her. "James and I have something important to tell you."

Hermione instantly thought the worst, and her heart filled with dread as she stood and started to get herself ready. Lily's words had seemed more like a demand, than the usual request.

"I'll be over in a minute," she shouted back to Lily's head as she left the room. Hearing a resounding pop, she knew that Lily was no longer in the Floo network; but she could not help wondering what was so important that it could not be written in a letter, or indeed told via the Floo system.

Shrugging a jacket over her shoulders, Hermione reached over to the small pot of Floo powder that sat on her mantlepiece. Grasping a pinch between her fingers, she threw it into the flames before transporting herself just down the road to James and Lily's cottage.

Having now had more practice with the Floo network, Hermione no longer had to throw her hands out in front of her to stop herself from falling out onto the floor. She only had to step out of the flames, and wait a moment for the room to stop spinning and her balance to restore itself.

"Hermione!" a blur of red squealed at her before she felt Lily's arms squeeze around her middle. It became uncomfortable to say the least.

"Lily? Lily!" Hermione finally had the chance to croak out. "What is going on? Is someone hurt?"

"No! I'm just really, really happy!" Lily still refusing to let go of Hermione. "We're just waiting for Remus to arrive. James and I want to tell everyone together."

Hermione looked around to see that Sirius was sitting on the armrest of the couch with a puzzled expression adorning his features. Apparently he had no idea about what was going on either; but Hermione did not have the chance to extrapolate any further information. A loud whooshing sound preceded a slightly dishevelled looking Remus in the fireplace.

"You had better have a good reason for getting me out of bed at this hour," he grimaced, stepping forward as he used his hands to brush the soot from his clothing.

Lily began to speak, clearly unable to contain her excitement for much longer.

"Now that you're all here, would you like me to get you something to drin-"

"Lils," said Sirius, fighting to keep his voice calm and polite. "You clearly invited us here for a reason, you're about to wet yourself. Do us a favour and tell us why we needed to be here before our morning coffee, please?"

Lily pursed her lips at Sirius before huffing slightly.

"Fine. James and I invited you here on this beautiful day to let you all know that -" Lily paused, glancing around at the occupants of the room for dramatic effect.

"She's pregnant!" exclaimed James, finally releasing the information that he'd been bursting to say for the best part of the morning.

There was a moment where all they could hear was the clock ticking.

"How far along are you?" Hermione immediately thought to ask, beginning to make calculations.

"It's only been three weeks. A healer confirmed it yesterday, but we couldn't wait any longer. We had to give the news to _someone_," Lily beamed.

Calculations completed inside her head, Hermione had to stifle a groan. There was no doubt in her mind that Harry was now in the room with them. She was running out of time.

Dumbledore was still convinced that Harry and the prophecy would act as bait to lure Voldemort into Godric's Hollow, where he then could be made mortal and destroyed once and for all. But what if it all went wrong and Hermione lost her friends in the process? As triumphant the results could be, they may also be catastrophic.

Fortunately Sirius' shouts for Firewhisky brought Hermione out of her ruminations.

"I'll be anyone a sickle that the baby is a boy," he chuckled as he poured a good measure of the liquor into a glass which James had fetched for him.

"You're not drinking this early in the morning!" cried Lily, snatching the glass away from Sirius and replacing it with a freshly-brewed cup of coffee. "And neither are you placing any bets on my baby; besides I think it's going to be a girl."

"James what do you say?" replied Sirius, completely unperturbed by Lily's brusk manner. Noticing that she had only removed the glass and not the bottle of Firewhisky, he added a quick dash into his coffee before she could notice.

James let out an enthusiastic laugh before gathering Lily in his arms so that he could pat her still-flat stomach.

"I'm going to have to go with whatever Lily says for the next nine months, so if Lily thinks that it's a girl, then I think it's a girl too. Hermione?"

Hermione pretended to mull the options over in her head, before deciding to tell the truth.

"I'm on Sirius' side," she finally verbalised. "Definitely a boy."

Sirius let out a whoop of agreement before rounding on Remus.

"Alright Moony, it's up to you. You're the tie-breaker. Girl or boy?"

"Nooo, don't make me choose," laughed Remus. "You know that I was never good at making the final decisions! Oh, alright, fine… I pick….a…..a….b-b-….girl!"

"Right," replied Lily despite herself. "All bets are in, we just have to wait until the end of July before any of us can be proven correct."

"Winners get to be godparents!" James exclaimed.

"Over my dead body are we picking godparents like that James Potter! You'd better think twice before making those kinds of decisions without me," Lily said, shooting an eyebrow up in her husband's direction. "Now clear up these empty cups, pregnant lady needs to put her feet up for awhile."

James meekly obeyed, immediately moving the remnants of their small celebration to the kitchen.

"Well, I think i'm going to head off," said Sirius, standing to leave. "I have a lot of sleep to catch up on. I'll make sure to give Marley the news when she gets home from work this evening. We need to all catch up again soon."

Sirius left with a quick wave. Remus left to go and find a coat he had left the last time he had visited. Lily went to show him out once he had found it.

James immediately rounded on Hermione.

"Is it true?" he asked her.

Hermione's eyes widened, not quite sure what he was referring to.

"Is what true?"

"Is the baby going to be a boy?" he whispered urgently, eyes darting around the room to make sure that everyone else had left, and there was no one listening in to their conversation.

"I- err," Hermione was at a complete loss of what to say. She had made herself a promise not to reveal any information that did not involve Voldemort. It would be dangerous if every person she loved found out what their future held. James and Lily were one step closer to a death sentence.

"I can't tell you," she finally said, not quite looking him in the eye. Unfortunately for her, James knew her well enough to call her out on her bluff.

"i know that you know, and I get why you might not want to tell me. It must be pretty horrible to know what you do, even if things don't follow the old plan, knowing that there is a chance must be the most terrible thing."

Hermione could only look at James with mournful eyes, not able to say a word for fear that it would betray everything she had been fighting to keep within her for the past couple of years.

"I don't have to know what happens in the future Hermione, to know that it is not going to be good news."

Hermione nodded, and put her arms around James in a silent hug. There were no words in any language that could adequately sum up the true extent of her unique situation, and she no longer had the mental energy to try and think about that. Every day was now lived simply to survive. To make it into bed each night was an achievement.

James immediately let go of Hermione when they heard someone clearing their throat behind them. Hermione looked up to see Remus standing in the doorway, coat in hand, but apparently not having had left yet.

"Hermione, I was just wondering if you wanted me to escort you back home, or rather if you'd just like the company; even if you don't exactly live very far away."

Hermione did her best to summon a grin on her face.

"Sure, Remus. I'll just grab my things and I'll meet you outside."

A quick goodbye to both Lily and James saw Hermione out onto the street with Remus in record time. For a couple of minutes they walked in silence. The streets were busy with early morning shoppers and commuters. Although the village had started out quite small, it had certainly grown over the past couple of years and new businesses were popping up all over the place brining with them a hefty number of customers.

Finally, Remus summoned enough courage to speak.

"What did James mean when he said that although he didn't know what the future held, but 'it is not going to be good news'?"

Hermione's body immediately stiffened, and it had nothing to do with the cool breeze which signalled that winter was approaching. It seemed like an odd remark to make. Was there the chance that Remus suspected something?

"I don't think that there was anything in it," replied Hermione wanting to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible. "I think he meant that times have never looked so bad with You-Know-Who and that it is very difficult to imagine something brighter for the future. Even if you look out on the street here, you can quite easily see that the only people that dare come out are muggles."

Remus shrugged, and stared down at the ground, kicking a couple of pebbles out of his way. Hermione hoped that he would let the matter go, but her wish did was not granted.

"I just thought there might have been more to it than that. You guys are always so close, and I can't help but wonder why. James has only known you are few days longer than what Sirius and I have know you, and yet it seems like he knows something that we don't. You've never been together with him, but you seem quite intimate. I just don't understand it."

Hermione did not know what to make of the situation. Remus had always been insecure around the others in the Marauders' group; but this felt like there was more to it then just his poor self-worth.

"I don't know what to say," Hermione admitted to him.

Remus turned and stopped them both from walking any further. Hermione could feel the warmth of his hands permeate her jacket where they were resting on both her shoulders. His hazel eyes found her brown ones, and refused to leave.

"How about you start with the truth?" he countered. "You always said to me that Dumbledore would not let you out of the Room of Requirement. He wouldn't let you wander about the castle, and yet you still met James. How could that have happened?"

Hermione felt her palms begin to become damp, and her body filled with heat as her heart raced within her chest.

"This really is not the place to discuss it," she murmured so that nobody passing by would be able to hear her.

Remus raised an eyebrow in her direction. He was not sure where his courage had come from, but he had wanted answers for a long time, and now seemed as good as any to get them.

"Dumbledore seems to be getting an awful lot of information from somebody within the Order. There is no way in the world that Regulus Black and Severus Snape would wander in of their own accord. Dumbledore must have a decent bit of influence over them, and I want to know why."

Hermione fought to keep her features neutral, but she knew that if Remus looked down between them he would see the involuntary tremor of her fingers.

"I can't tell you, Remus, please can we leave it at that," Hermione beseeched him, not wanting to make a scene in the middle of town. "Why don't we go back to my place and-"

"And what?" scoffed Remus. "You can defuse the conversation, and we'll end up back at square one. You're obviously in cahoots with Dumbledore. James knows something. Poppy Pomfrey knows something. Does Sirius know something? Does Snape know something? Does Regulus? Well what about Remus? What about me, Hermione?"

Hermione could not bear to look him in the face for much longer.

"I will answer your questions to the best of my knowledge if you just come with me and get off this street. Anyone could be listening. It is not safe."

Hermione waited whilst Remus stayed in front of her, fists clenched by his side as he tried to make a decision within his mind.

"I'll come with you," he finally said in a defeated voice, knowing that even if he got very little out of Hermione, it was still progress and eventually he would wear her down. He was sure of it.

They walked down the road in silence before entering the dark alleyways that would lead to Peverell Lane. Remus already knew of the secret of the Fidelius charm, so it was without pause that they moved through the front door and into Hermione's kitchen.

Sunshine was entering the kitchen unhindered, and made the yellow of the walls even brighter than what they already were. Being so close to winter, there were no flowers to place on the kitchen table, but it was equally homely without them.

Hermione immediately put down her coat and bag before busying herself with making tea. Remus sat in one of the kitchen chairs, staring straight ahead, but for all intents and purposes still looking as determined as ever.

"Thank you," he said, taking the cup that Hermione offered him. It was all that he could think to say. Now that he was here in her house, he did not really have any idea about how to start what would inevitably turn out to be a very intense conversation.

"Remus?" Hermione was the first to speak, and for that he was grateful. "I just want you to know that I didn't want to lie to you. It just needed to be that way. When I finish explaining a few things, I just hope that you can at the very least understand why I did what I did."

Remus nodded at her to continue before taking a sip from his cup. The tea was strong, but it did nothing to mask the taste of the liquor in it. There was definitely a splash of brandy or rum in there. Hermione was right in thinking that he might need it.

"Dumbledore was the person who insisted that I didn't tell everyone anything about why I was here, or how I got here. Thankfully, no one ever did question it too much about why I didn't have a family around or friends, or any kind of life to speak of. After being here for a little while I realised how tactless those kinds of questions were to anyone given the present 'regime' with You-Know-Who. So many people have lost their family, so my situation is unfortunately all too common."

Hermione paused to take a sip of her drink, not quite sure what point even she was getting at. Her thoughts were jumbled. This was not how she envisioned Remus finding out about her past or present situations. In fact, she had hoped never to live through a moment where he knew the absolute truth about herself.

"You have to understand that when I first came here, I didn't know where I was, or who I was, or what I was doing here."

"But how could you not-"

Hermione held her hand up to silence Remus, which he obeyed.

"I woke up and I was in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. I don't know who found me, or how I ended up specifically in the Hospital Wing, but I do have a little bit of an idea about how I ended up at Hogwarts. I'll come to that bit later."

Hermione looked down at her mug, knowing that the next part may well affect Remus more than anything else that she might tell him. It was the root cause of their relationship disintegration, and she had lived with the fact that he had been right all along. She was a liar, and she couldn't trust him just as much as he couldn't trust her.

"When I woke up, I was very disorientated and babbling all kinds of things. Poppy was there when I woke up, and she was the person who had the task of reorienting me to the world. That is how she knows about me."

Remus nodded, allowing her to continue.

"When I woke up, James and Sirius were in the Hospital Wing at the same time. They were on the beds opposite purely as a precautionary thing. One of their pranks had gone wrong. So, they saw me there when I was about to be released. Unfortunately, I had no where to go, so James escorted me to see Dumbledore. When I was speaking to Dumbledore about my predicament, neither of us realised that James was eavesdropping."

Hermione sighed, and gave herself another break to recollect her thoughts. After a moment or two of silence, she continued.

"I don't know how much he heard. I've never asked him; but he knew that I needed a place to stay and so he offered me the Room of Requirement. I never expected him to come and visit; and I never expected him to bring either you, Sirius or Peter around. But I have to admit that having you around was nice. I was very lost, and lonely during that time. I've still not forgotten all the little things you used to do for me, and the way that you would make the room transform. Friday was my favourite day of the week."

Remus let out a little chuckle as he too remembered their little dates, and the way that they would often fall asleep under magicked stars as they pretended to camp or picnic. It was an afternoon and an evening of pure bliss and heaven.

"Friday was my favourite day of the week too," Remus conceded before allowing Hermione to finish her explanation. He was too desperate for answers to desire any more interruptions.

"Do you remember when you took me out into the grounds, and I fainted?" Hermione suddenly asked Remus.

"Yes," he replied, eyes immediately narrowing in confusion. "Why?"

"That was when I remembered what happened to me. Suddenly, I could remember Hogwarts and who I was, and more importantly who you were, and James and Sirius."

"What do you mean that you could remember who I was, or indeed any of the others?" Remus could not make any sense of her words. It was preposterous to think that she had known him before she had turned up at Hogwarts and resided in the Room of Requirement.

"I was born on September 12, 1979 to muggle parents."

Remus was still not comprehending what she was telling him.

"Hermione, don't be silly. You certainly were not born last year. We just celebrated your twenty-third birthday for merlin's sake!"

However, it only took one look at Hermione's face for Remus to realise that she was in earnest.

"You're not joking," he cried out, emotions escalating by the second. "How are you not joking?"

"I was born in 1979, and I grew up like any normal child. When I was eleven I went off to Hogwarts with everyone else, and learned a few good things about magic; but there was a war going on, and by the time I got to the end of my sixth year I was needed to fight, which I did do. Losses were catastrophic…"

It was here that Hermione trailed off, not able to remove the sordid image of a dead Remus from her mind. His ghostly white hand had been inches from Tonks', and their son had been orphaned, just as Harry had once been. Her eyelids began to sting where her tears collected, but she fought back. Too much of her logic and intelligence had steered her away from voicing the truth, and look where it had got her.

"But in the end we did have a few years of relative peace. There were still people out there who believed in You-Know-Who and followed his regime, but for the most part it was settled. Until one day, there was a man who couldn't quite accept the fact that his master was gone. He had a knack for creating his own brand of twisted and evil magic, which sometimes worked, and it sometimes did not."

"He had been using muggles as guinea pigs for his experiments, and he ended up killing them in the process of perfecting this one particular curse."

"What did the spell do?" Remus was quick to ask, wondering what this man had to do with Hermione.

"He was trying to send people back in time."

There, she had said it. She had said those horrid words that had been on the tip of her tongue since she had arrived. She only hoped that Remus would connect the dots quickly so that she would not have to explain herself in so much depth.

"Ok, and what do his time travel experiments have to do with you?"

"I was the person that was in charge of breaking up his little rink of organised crime, and he didn't like that. He swore revenge on me, and acted it out in the only way that he knew how."

"So?"

"So, that is how I ended up here," Hermione replied somewhat warily, watching Remus carefully for his reaction. Never having to impart something so personal to anyone before, she was not sure how he would process and deal with the information.

Part of her was indeed expecting some kind of explosion from him; but his face was completely immobile after it had etched itself into an expression which resembled shock.

"Remus, please, say something?" she implored. She hated the way she was begging, but it was impossible to sit there and watch a lack of movement.

Not knowing what else to do, Hermione took the glass bottle of rum she had used to strengthen their tea, and poured a little into a regular drinking glass. Standing beside Remus she trickled a little of the golden liquid into his gaping mouth.

Instantly Remus spluttered back into life, half-swallowing and half-spitting out the rum.

"What did you do that for?" he bellowed, and Hermione wasn't sure if he meant the rum, or the fact that she had just revealed that she had travelled back in time.

"You weren't moving," she replied, slightly annoyed as she put the now empty glass into the sink.

"What do you want me to say, Hermione?" he stated, his eyes now like solid amber resin. "Do you want me to be okay with all of this? Do you expect me to believe it?"

Hermione had no answer for him. She knew well enough that he had reason not to trust her.

"Whether you believe it or not is up to you. You asked for the truth and I gave it to you. Yes, I have immense knowledge of what your future holds. Yes, I have been helping Dumbledore with this information. Yes, I used it to convince Severus to join the Order, Regulus as well; although Regulus would have eventually joined us anyway. I just saved him a bit of time."

"Who else knows?"

Part of Remus was relieved that Hermione had finally let him into her life a little bit deeper, but an even larger part of him was furious.

"McGonagall knows…" Hermione hesitated slightly before imparting the last part of information, but knew that she was now in it too deep to back out.

"The other person that knows is Severus."

Hermione sat back and waited for the response; and it came far too quickly.

Remus suddenly felt claustrophobic; like all the air in his lungs had vanished. He needed to get out of the room as quickly as possible.

The werewolf within him began to rear, and he knew that if he didn't get out soon he would say or do something that he would regret.

"I need to leave," was all he said to Hermione before all he stood and walked straight out the kitchen and towards the front door.

Hermione immediately sprang into action, running after him before he had the chance to escape.

"Wait! Remus, wait!" she called out to him, grabbing the collar of his jacket to stop him from stepping out the front door.

"Be mad at me, be furious even. You have every right to feel that way; but please, whatever you do, please do not tell another soul about how I really got here. If this were to get out to any of the Death Eaters, then we would all be dead before You-Know-Who would raise his wand arm."

"Fine," snapped Remus before yanking himself free and disappearing out the open door.

**_Lily is pregnant! Remus finally knows! So much is happening!_**

**_Please let me know of what you all think of this recent turn of events. Read and review xx_**


	48. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: Familie**

**Family**

"When will you realise that they are just spies!" Hermione cried out. Her exasperation with Dumbledore knew no bounds. It was almost as though he took some kind of sick enjoyment in making her as furious as possible.

As much as Hermione failed to realise it at times, Dumbledore did not take her open hostility towards his plans all that well.

"We can not do anything without proof, Hermione," he stated, endeavouring to keep his voice calm although it was now nearing midnight and the pair had been cooped up in his study for the best part of four hours. "The Rowle family are very powerful, whether they are death eaters or not. It would be foolish to single them out and anger them. They have strong allies. Even if what you are saying is true, it would be inviting a death wish upon ourselves to act towards your assumptions."

Hermione's mouth gaped at Dumbledore's response. It was like all her arguments had just gone straight over his head without a single impression.

"Assumptions?" she protested. "Let us not forget that Conrad Rowle is the very reason that I am sitting here in this office speaking with you. He bullied Remus to the point of hospitalisation. In fact, it barely constituted bullying - it was an outright vicious attack! The Albus Dumbledore that I knew is dead in every sense of the word, and I would think that this Dumbledore before me would have quite a different view on the matter. Obviously I was mistaken."

"Indeed you are, Miss Granger," Dumbledore replied in a grave tone. "We reached an impasse on these matters well over a year ago, and yet here you sit before me making demands. I am well aware of the consequences of my actions. Lily and James may end up dead, and it would be a tragic loss for us all; but there is every chance of my plan succeeding. Think of it, Hermione; to live in a world free of Voldemort. We are halfway there. All we need to do is destroy the horcruxes before destroying him. It is all for the greater good."

Hermione snorted in derision. Folding her arms defiantly across her chest, she puffed herself up in her seat as though that action in itself would make her argument more convincing. Surely Dumbledore would have learned his lesson by now when it came to acting on 'the greater good'.

"I have lived in a world without the influence of Voldemort, and it is a glorious sight to behold, I won't argue with you on that; but the fact remains that I have already put myself in irrefutable danger for it. I watched my family and friends be slaughtered when put at the mercy of his followers; and I have been the subject of it as well. Death Eaters have infiltrated the ministry; they are within the school. I have given you a list of exactly who these people are, and you still do not act on it."

The clock chimed midnight, signalling the beginning of a new day. A couple of the portraits sniffled and turned in their sleep. Hermione was sure that she saw Phineas Nigellus blink a couple of times before recommencing his loud and obnoxious snores.

"I think that we should take that as our cue to end this meeting, Hermione," Dumbledore said, standing to guide Hermione out of the office. "Perhaps we could reconvene at another time when it is convenient for you?"

Hermione collected her belongings and followed the Headmaster to the door.

"I suppose that I am obliged to do so, for all the good that it would do for me and my point of view," she sighed. Not forgetting her manners, she bid Professor Dumbledore a good night and set off towards her home.

It would be another lonely evening; sitting alone in the dark with books as her only entertainment.

That was not entirely true - the marauders would occasionally drop by as time would permit, with James and Sirius bringing their significant others; but this was not the same as having someone to chat with all the time. Often, Hermione would find herself turning on the wireless just to hear the sound of new voices; but she quickly found that Celestina Warbeck was not always the best company that she could have.

It was impossible for her to make news friends. Anyone she brought home would immediately know the secret of the Fidelius charm, thereby greatly diluting it. Dumbledore intended this house to be a safe house as needed by members of the Order, and Hermione suspected that he would not take its unveiling as very welcome news.

Remus was the only person who had not come to visit. From Sirius she learned that Remus was angry about something, although he was under the impression that it was only exacerbated by the fact that the full moon was approaching. Lily was completely oblivious, choosing to live in her own bubble of happiness that involved her and the fact that the baby within her was still strong and healthy. James was the only person who had information that held any significance to Hermione; and he mostly refused to speak.

Quite understandably, Remus was still furious with Hermione and he hated that he had been kept out of the loop for so long. They had been a couple for a period of time, and had grown close. He had known all along that there was more to her story. A person did not simply turn up at Hogwarts with a mission from Dumbledore.

Sadness had permeated through Hermione's body as she heard this from James - it had taken a good few sessions of her tying to get information from him to get even that much out of him. Her only intention was to protect Remus at all costs, and if that meant withholding some information then so be it. It was all for the greater good - to keep them all safe, and healthy and whole human beings.

Now Hermione was faced with the fact that there were more people who knew of her secret. There was Dumbledore, Poppy, Minerva, Severus, James and Remus. Sooner or later, someone was bound to let a detail slip and they would all be in danger. Hermione could only guess at what Voldemort might do to get a hold of her. She would be an invaluable source of information to him; and even if she gave nothing away to him, he would be sure to find a way to stop her from giving information to the Order.

Despite Hermione's reluctance, it was less than a week before she found herself back in Dumbledore's office more a meeting instead of indulging on another lonely glass of wine at home. It was with a sigh of frustration and feeling utterly resigned that she knocked on the door to the Headmaster's study.

The heavy wood of the door swung open of its own accord to reveal that Dumbledore was not alone.

"Hello, Hermione," he chirruped with a smile on his face. "Excuse me for being rude and not rising to greet you, I was just chatting with Severus."

Hermione's eyes widened as she took in the sight. There chair where she was usually seated was indeed occupied by Severus Snape.

"I don't mean to be the rude one," she spoke in a clipped tone, "but why is Severus here?"

"He will be joining us," replied Dumbledore simply as he raised his wand to conjure another chair for Hermione.

"We have a few matters to discuss," continued Dumbledore, gazing at Hermione's horrified expression through his half-moon spectacles as they slipped down his nose slightly.

Hermione entered the room slowly, only taking her eyes off Severus to glance quickly at Dumbledore's still blackened hand. It did not look as bad as it once had, but Hermione could not stop the guilt from running through her as she saw it. She had known that Dumbledore would be tempted, but she couldn't help but trust his judgement when he insisted on seeking the ring on his own.

Shaking these thoughts from her head, she sat down in the newly magicked chair, looking directly into Dumbledore's face, wondering what would become of this meeting. Snape had yet to say a single word to her; his face was impassive. Did he elect to be a part of this meeting, or had Dumbledore influenced his input in some way or another?

"Now that I have you both here," Dumbledore spoke with renewed vigour. "We can get to work. I invited you here -"

"You haven't yet answered my question. Why is Severus here?" Hermione interrupted. Dumbledore blinked several times in her direction, wondering what may have promoted the outburst.

"Feeling threatened?" Snape sneered at Hermione, his eyes narrowing. It was not quite an expression of glee, but Hermione could see that he was not forcing himself to look unhappy or inconvenienced.

"No," replied Hermione coolly, staring directly back into Severus' obsidian eyes. "I was just wondering why you needed to be here specifically today."

"I am here at Professor Dumbledore's instance. I have been doing some very important work for the Order recently, and he felt that you ought to hear it."

Hermione ignored the obvious stab Severus made to inflate his self-importance, instead choosing the watch the air rush out of him when he realised that he was not going to get as big a rise out of her as what he had initially hoped.

Dumbledore watched their exchange with intrigue. He was not sure what to make of it. At least they were being remotely being openly hostile.

"I hope that Albus has put you to good use, at the very least. You may be a part of the Order but you are also within Voldemort's inner sanctum. Spill!"

Severus' eyebrows furrowed, not quite understanding Hermione's sudden change in attitude. He may have not been her close friend, but he was not entirely unobservant to Hermione's moods. She was never this curt with anybody. Clearly this was an example of still waters running deep.

"I am not sure that I understand you, Hermione," he said to her, genuinely perplexed by her haughty demeanour.

"Who are the primary Death Eaters? Who do we need to watch out for? Are there any attacks being planned?"

Snape looked at Hermione with scorn, and a little condescension.

"Surely, you wouldn't need me to tell you that the Dark Lord is continually planning the demise of the Order, and all the people within in. At the moment, he does not have a focus. He is using his followers for smaller attacks. Events which are less traceable back to the perpetrators of the crimes."

Hermione looked over at the Headmaster with a smug expression on her face. Dumbledore, however, ignored her repeated attempts to get his attention; instead choosing to focus on what Severus' words.

"There has been some discussion regarding the McKinnon family…"

Severus continued to ramble on; however at the mention of the name 'McKinnon', Hermione's blood ran cold. Her grip tightened on the armrest of the chair that she was sitting in. A distant memory told her of how the entire McKinnon family had been slaughtered in 1981. Marlene was a part of that family, and Hermione could not let her friend be killed. Sirius would be devastated, and she would never be able to forgive herself. Not when she knew it was going to happen, and had every chance of stopping it.

"We have to stop him," said Hermione, interrupting the flow of conversation that was pouring out of both Severus and Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's eyes lost their sparkle, whilst Severus looked on with disdain.

"Really Hermione, how do you propose we do that?" Hermione could not miss the sarcasm in his voice.

"I…I don't know," she admitted, feeling a flush of embarrassment suffuse her cheeks. Acknowledging that she needed to think her thoughts through a little better before opening her mouth, Hermione spread her hands out to either side of her body in a gesture of surrender.

"Thank you for your insight, but if you have nothing of value to add then perhaps you would prefer to leave?"

To an outsider, Snape may well have been smiling at Hermione, but only she could see the malice that was ticking away in his brain. Her eyes widened in a mixture of shock, and indignation.

"Are you insinuating that I do not have any input on the matter which is valid?" Hermione demanded of Snape.

"I am not insinuating anything. I am only stating fact," Severus haughtily replied.

"If we are stating fact, then I would like to remind the pair of you that there are Death Eaters present within our society; and between us we know who they all are! We have the upper hand here; and between the two of you, I can't use that advantage."

Hermione was sure that she heard Dumbledore sigh at this point, and Severus very clearly rolled his eyes.

"What do you suppose we do?" Snape began to round on Hermione, but Dumbledore held a hand up to silence him.

"I know who gets to live and who gets to die, Severus, and I want to help all those that I can. You know this as well as I do. The McKinnons, the Bones', Prewett's, Potter's…"

Hermione waited for Severus' reaction at the last name that she gave him, and she was instantly rewarded. First his eyes widened; then what little colour there was in his cheeks faded as his mouth dropped open.

"Which Potters?" he demanded of Hermione, fists clenching at his sides, hardly able to contain his emotion.

"Enough!" bellowed Dumbledore, effectively stopping all sound that was emanating from the pair. "I have to admit that I expected better from you Hermione."

Hermione had the decency to look ashamed. She had allowed Severus to rile her up, and get the better of her. Managing to keep her emotions in check for the best part of two years had been a challenge, but she managed. She didn't want to ruin all of that hard work for the sake of a feud that really had been brewing for the best part of a decade, even if Severus didn't know it at this point in time.

"Fine," replied Hermione coolly, attempting to restore her inner sense of equilibrium. "I just don't believe that sitting around all day, waiting for Voldemort to make his move will be of any use to use. The longer we wait, the more people there will be to defend, and the less people we will have helping us fight back.

"Everything will all work out in the end," said Dumbledore, his voice demanding Hermione's assent.

Hermione bristled at this comment, not quite sure how he could assert such an opinion. There was no way that he could be sure of that.

"Even in the next few months my statement will be true…" Hermione hesitated before stating the next idea which she knew to be fact. It may very well be Severus' undoing.

"Lily won't be able to fight. Indefinitely."

Dumbledore's incandescent blue eyes turned to face Hermione, giving her his full attention.

"Why is that?" he asked of her, genuinely curious as to why Hermione would make such a statement.

"Lily is pregnant. This is the baby that fulfils the prophecy that was made in my time. The same prophecy that has not been made by Sybil Trelawney in this time, that we must not implicitly trust. There is every chance that things will not go to plan, according to the prophecy."

Recognition flared in Dumbledore's face. Hermione did not have the courage to look at Severus, but she could hear his breath as it stopped in his throat. She could feel the heat of the rage which was rolling off him. He did not say a word as he stood from his seat. Robes billowing behind him, he left the Headmaster's study so swiftly it was almost at a run.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

The thin nostrils that made a petty excuse of a nose in Voldemort's face flared for an infinitesimal space of time. A person who was not so accustomed to looking directly into his pale face may not have recognised the subtle change; but Severus knew.

Severus knew that Voldemort's insides would be screaming with white-hot anger. Every cell in his body would be protesting.

It did not matter that Voldemort had slashed his wand in the air several times, and instantly killed the others in the room. Severus stood still. He wouldn't have minded if Voldemort had turned and used the Killing Curse on him as well. Indeed it would be preferable to what Severus was feeling now.

He needed to make Lily pay. He needed her to see how much she had hurt him. He needed her to see what he would go through for her. Potter was far too arrogant to risk even his haircut for such important matters. She needed to see the mistake that she made by going for him. Severus would have been able to offer her far more protection.

In spite of how much Severus would have welcomed death, he flinched slightly as he felt Voldemort's ice-cold face near his. He could feel the tip of Voldemort's wand pressing firmly into his side.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now?" the Dark Lord sneered, pushing the wand deeper into Snape's flesh.

Severus fought to keep his voice steady as he answered. This war was now personal. His Lily was in danger. His sweet, beautiful Lily who believed only the best in everyone; except for him. The day that she had turned her back on him in fifth-year was the very worst day of his life, although today was close to ruing him completely. He regretted it more than anything else. He couldn't sleep, nor hardly eat because the memory of it was constantly on replay. Wishing for nothing more than to be able to remove that memory out of his head, he looked directly into the deep red of the Dark Lord's eyes as he answered him.

"I can be of use to you, my lord."


	49. Chapter 40

**_A short chapter this week, but important nonetheless… read and review!_**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 40: Schwach<strong>

**Weak**

Hermione's eyes could not leave the piece of parchment in her hand. In the days it had been since the owl had first delivered it, she had been in a state of numbness. It felt impossible to believe, and yet there it was in black and white.

Death Eaters had come for Marley's parents; they had openly declared their hate for the Death Eater regime on a number of occasions. Marley and her brother had simply got caught in the crossfire, trying to protect their family. Their funerals were to be held that afternoon.

James in particular would be sure to hate her. He knew her secret, and the power that her knowledge held. She had failed them all.

Lily had cried all night when she found out. James had told her that much.

But really, it was Dumbledore's fault.

For months, Hermione had been telling him of what was going on, and he was doing nothing about it. She could hardly believe that it had only been one month since Severus had stormed out of Dumbledore's office. A simple 'I told you so', was not sufficient.

Tears began to spill out of Hermione's eyes once more as she sat in the dim light of her kitchen. Putting the parchment down on the wooden table and away from the wetness of her eyes, she tried to calm her mind enough to be able to form a coherent thought.

She ought to have been more adamant.

She should have demanded that Dumbledore act when she told him to. If he had intervened when she told him to then this whole disaster could have been avoided.

It was no more than a series of mistakes from the start. She had been weak, and it had taken the life of a friend.

This was the unprecedented second chance she had at preserving life, and yet a Death Eater by the name of Travers had been able to flick his wand and destroy it all in a flash of green light. Their house was practically flattened, and made level with the Earth all in the name of fun and blood purity.

Mr and Mrs McKinnon only had time to rouse their adult children from their beds before Voldemort's followers took them captive. Dumbledore revealed that it had been Marley's brother who raised the alarm to the other members of the Order.

It only took minutes for the other members to arrive; but in that time the entire family was wiped out. Murdered and mutilated to the point where their faces were no longer recognisable. Skin and flesh had been sliced away cleanly from their faces and limbs as the younger Death Eaters used the deceased bodies to practice their aim, eventually turning it into a game. They tried to see who could remove certain organs as efficiently as possible. _Sectumsempra_ was a favourite between them; Mr McKinnon lost an eye because of this.

It was later found that Bellatrix was the one who set the remains of the house on fire. It made it difficult for Gideon and Fabian to collect the bodies; and they spent the remainder of the night in St Mungo's being treated for smoke inhalation.

Wiping away her tears, Hermione put the letter down. She had not been called into action on the night that the McKinnon family were murdered. Instead, she had been asleep in her bed dreaming of unimportant things. It was at times like this that the Order could have used every helping hand. Hermione was one of these hands.

Dumbledore was in charge of organising the Order when it came to unplanned attacks such as these; but the task of getting the message out and rousing everyone out of bed had been delegated to Alastor Moody. Had it been a simple oversight on his part? Or had Dumbledore given him orders not to contact Hermione?

Her head began to throb as she contemplated the recent deaths. Standing, she found that she was a little unsteady on her feet; but they still carried her well enough to be able to get a glass of water.

Gulping down the cold liquid, she used her sleeve to wipe away a rogue trickle that had escaped from the corner of her mouth. Her hands were shaking as she tried to put the glass down. She put it to rest on the kitchen table, but it was just a fraction too close to the edge, and a pinky finger nicked the side of it just enough for it to crash to the floor. Glass shattered all over the floor, and Hermione could only find the strength to stare at it. Her eyes unfocused as she kicked away the larger chunks of glass, moving to sit back down on the seat which she recently vacated.

All the energy had drained out of her body. It was like being a small child again.

She remembered her father chasing away all the monsters that may have inhabited the space under her bed, then he would tuck her in tightly so that they could not get to her. Still, she felt scared of the monsters that apparently lived under her bed, and so she would curl up further under the blankets so that even her head was submerged. Eventually she would have to come up for air again, but by this time the monsters would be forgotten, and a peaceful night of sleep would ensue.

This is what that felt like. That feeling of being under the blanket with only a limited amount of oxygen. It was the feeling of being smothered.

She knew that sooner or later she would have to come up for air; but that one question remained. Would she be able to face her monsters when she did that?

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><p><em><strong>Read and review xx <strong>_


	50. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41: Getrennt**

**Segretated**

Spring came by and almost passed completely without a hello. The Order was slowly but surely infiltrating the ministry so that they would be able to pick up clues about Voldemort.

Lily's figure had blossomed rather magnificently; and she was eagerly accepting any donations of baby clothes or toys. She had wanted to go on a big shopping trip to be able to buy all the necessities. Indeed it would have been lovely to be able to do that, if only it wasn't so dangerous to be seen out on the street.

At Hermione's insistence James and Lily had placed their house under the protection of the Fidelius charm, just as Hermione had protected her own home. Sirius and Remus were renting a muggle dwelling in the local countryside, and had done the very same to their home. James and Sirius served as each other's secret keepers; although Remus, Lily and Hermione knew of the secret, and were frequent visitors.

In spite of the camaraderie and small celebrations between them, there was an overarching sense of fear that pervaded the entire magical community. No one went out for fun anymore. The streets were grey and empty.

Shop-owners were finding the times harder than most, as they were essentially being deprived of their livelihood. Hermione no longer ventured down Diagon Alley; either in disguise or otherwise. Those who supported Voldemort were outnumbering those who didn't. No one could be trusted and it would only take one mistake on her part to be named as shamed. She was not pureblood. Indeed there was nothing that she could use to prove that she was even a half-blood.

Even the meetings of the Order were few and far apart; however every so often Hermione spend the afternoon visiting Aberforth in his pub. He was able to give her news of the outside world.

It was on one such afternoon that Hermione received a satisfactory piece of news. She had walked into the pub to find it empty. Hearing some scuffling coming from the back room, she called out a swift hello to Aberforth before settling herself down on one of the bar stools. He must have been expecting her because there was a pile of newspapers sitting on the edge of the bar. Hermione pulled one closer to her, and flipped through the pages, reading snatches of text, here and there.

The Prophet had been printing lies for well over a year and a half, but Hermione was glad that they got one detail right. Peter Pettigrew was named a Death Eater.

An old photo from school was placed among several law enforcement photographs on the bottom of page six. It was almost insignificant to the others in the Wizarding community, and Hermione had already known of the truth; but there was something satisfying in seeing fact printed there.

He had chosen his path, as they had chosen theirs. He was a grown man, and there was nothing she could do to influence him.

There had been some talk of Elphias Doge working in the newspaper before it was too far gone into the hands of Voldemort. Clearly he had made his mark, however small it may be.

Hermione looked up from the paper when she heard the noises around her getting louder. Aberforth appeared at the door.

"I can't believe you still read that rag," he told her. "It'll do you no good, besides there's plenty missing from that. Albus only just told me… it's Gideon and Fabian –"

Aberforth cut his words short, not sure how to say it. He was still processing the information himself.

"They were at the Ministry today, weren't they?" Hermione felt her heart begin to race. Her mouth became so dry that she suddenly couldn't speak.

Aberforth nodded at her.

"Yes, they were at the Ministry today, collecting something for Albus. Alastor was with them. They thought that they had made a safe escape, but a couple of Death Eaters caught wind of what they were doing and followed them out with back-up. They were in some alleyway, and from what Albus says they were cornered by about five or six Death Eaters."

Hermione felt that she knew where this conversation was going, and she did not want to hear it.

"No!" she gasped. "They didn't. They're far too skilled at dueling for that. Alastor was with them. They should have been safe!"

"Albus has gone to inform Molly now," said Aberforth gruffly, allowing his arms to fall limp by his sides.

"Even Alastor!" Hermione was practically wailing now. It was too soon after Marlene's death. The Order was not recruiting as heavily as it once was, and to lose some of the most valuable members in such a short space of time was difficult to comprehend.

"No, not him; although he's badly wounded. Lost a lot of blood, and got a nasty cut to his cheek from what I heard."

Hermione gulped down her tears.

She was a part of a war. People died, and that was a reality that she had to live with. It was foolish to think that resurgence of some aspects of the past was avoidable.

"I'm sure Molly will get a funeral organised for them in no time," Aberforth said, his eyes not quite reaching Hermione's.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Hermione left the pub quickly, taking the pile of newspapers with her. Before her emotions could cloud her thought, she scrawled a quick message to the others to let them know of the news. It sounded as though Alastor would be out of action for a little while.

She then wandered around the confines of her home. The sun was streaming through the clouds in the sky, but the air held a dampness that made it feel like rain was approaching despite the warmth. Hermione thudded down onto a chair by her kitchen table, pressing her face into her hands until she felt like her fingers were pushing her eyeballs painfully back into her skull. Removing some of the pressure, she felt the shooting pains dissipate from her eyes, only to be replaced by the stinging of tears.

It was a sin to kill Gideon and Fabian. Yes, it was torturous to take their life away from their family and friends, because they had done nothing with their lives except love others and give them the gifts of joy and laughter. So, it was a sin to not have them here to bring light to the dark times.

Hermione closed her eyes, and for once in her many lives she could not hold back. The tears began to flow as she grieved her friends. She thought of all the missed opportunities in her life. She thought of all the times she should have given in to temptation. An extra glass of wine with friends; holidays abroad; sharing food with family; learning all that she could about as much as she could. That was what life was meant to be.

Her throat was momentarily constricted as she felt a wail rise from within her. She let it free, and the air around her felt her pain. Her fist met the hard tabletop, but the pain felt good. It was finally being released. The wail had become an outright scream, and her lips were pulled back to reveal her teeth because of it. The skin on her cheeks became blotchy and damp.

Hermione allowed herself to think of not only the people in this life, but of the people in her past life whom she would never know again. For the first time ever, she allowed herself the chance to grieve for the life she might have had with them.

**_Read and review xx_**


	51. Chapter 42

_**This chapter officially makes this my longest fanfic ever, and it's still going. We are about two-thirds through the story, and exciting things are happening. Starting with this chapter...**_

_**Always appreciative of a review :)**_

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 42: Heilend<span>**

**Healing**

Every day that Lily Potter woke up still pregnant was a blessing for her. She still thought of Niamh; in fact, this happened frequently. The thoughts were still quite painful, and the mixture of her grief and pregnancy hormones made her almost inconsolable at times.

The baby was due almost any day. She and James did not know the gender yet. They wanted it to be a surprise, but Lily could not help but think of her continued conversations with her husband about the matter.

"James, I know that I keep saying this baby will be a girl, but what do you really think it will be?" she asked of him one night as they lay on the couch together, listening to the soothing sound of rain drumming on the roof. She was very tired, and wanted to sleep, but she also wanted to stay up a little longer to spend time with James. They would not have much alone time in the near future.

"I'm still stuck in that bet with Moony and Padfoot. I still have to go with girl."

Lily's eyes widened when she heard this, and she reached her arm back to give James a playful slap.

"You are not still betting on our baby!" she laughed, although James knew she was deadly serious.

"How else will we choose her godparents?" asked James, also serious.

"We'll think about that when she's born…oooh, she…err, he… umm it, is kicking. Feel?"

Lily guided James' hand across her belly to the point where she could feel the baby's feet drumming against her side. They had become more painful over the past few weeks as the baby ran out of room in her belly, but she would have happily stayed pregnant forever. It was a wonderful feeling to have your baby growing inside you.

James leaned his head towards her stomach, pressing his lips against where the baby was pounding away against his hand.

"Hello little one. Can you hear us talking about you?" Lily smiled at her husband attempting baby talk. "Yes, that's right. We can't wait to meet you. Mummy's been organising your room for months, and months. We will always keep you safe, because you love you to the moon and the stars times infinity. Maybe we'll even give you another brother or sister, so you can play together."

Lily gave a sad smile at this, thinking of her other little baby. Her little baby Niamh, who was no longer with them. She did not know what happened when you died, but she hoped it was something beautiful. Niamh deserved only the best.

James had stopped talking to her belly, and the baby had since settled down as well. His hand was still pressed up against her stomach as he snoozed next to her, and she could feel the warmth of his body against her t-shirt; however a new kind of warmth was now spreading a little lower in her body.

James woke with a start, thoroughly confused.

"Lils, what happened? Why are you so wet?"

Lily's eyes widened and comprehension flooded her facial features. Her fingers felt down as far as they could reach to find that her trousers were indeed soaked.

"James, I think the baby's coming," she said, panting with fear more than any pain.

She had been getting some slight tightness around her stomach, but that had been happening on and off for weeks as her body prepared for labour, so she thought nothing of it.

"James, help me up. I think we need to get to the hospital as soon as possible."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

The first Hermione knew of anything out of the ordinary was a tapping that was loud against her bedroom window. Looking at the clock that was perched above her dresser, she saw that it was almost four in the morning. Far to early for anything except bad news.

Hurtling out of bed and moving towards the window, she saw that it was a regular barn owl. These were usually only reserved for places in the community that sent letters in bulk, such as Hogwarts or the Ministry. It had stuck out its foot for her rather impatiently, as though it had far more important places to be.

The string around the owl's foot had been tied hastily, and was nothing more than a giant knot. It took Hermione several minutes to manually attempt undoing the knot; finding no success, she got her wand and sent a carefully aimed severing jinx towards the owl's leg. It squawked and flapped its wings in annoyance, but was soon back out into the darkness leaving Hermione alone with the message.

Almost ripping the parchment in half with impatience, Hermione's eyes skimmed over the scrawls of handwriting within seconds. Her eyes softened as she progressed, and by the time she had reached the signature at the bottom of the tiny piece of parchment, her heart was leaping with joy for the first few time in a very long time.

It was a very short message, but it said everything.

_Hermione –_

_You and Padfoot win. We named him Harry._

- _Prongs_

She knew that the hospital would not accept any visitors until the day had dawned properly. However, knowing that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, she sat up and watched the sky begin to get light with a cup of tea in one hand and the letter still in the other. It was too early for the sun to rise, but it already looked like it was going to be a fabulous summer day.

Hermione looked down at the letter for what must have been the twentieth time since she had received it. Not able to wipe the smile from her face, she realised with slight apprehension that James had specifically said that she had 'won'. Surely he hadn't taken the bet seriously. They were only having a laugh when they bet on the gender of the baby.

Her eyes widened when she realised that James may well have taken her seriously, and she was now Harry's godmother. Sirus would also be godfather, but that was a given.

Shaking her head at the foolishness of her friend, she put down her now empty mug with the letter and proceeded to prepare herself for the day. A hot shower would calm her just enough so that she could get to the hospital to see baby Harry without grinning like a maniac the whole way there.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

"Here she is!" James' voice proudly boomed across as Hermione entered the small hospital room where Lily was staying. "Here is the lovely godmother!"

Hermione sighed internally; he had taken the bet seriously after all.

"Shush! Harry is sleeping," Lily muttered, knowing that James was far too excited to be listening to her anyway.

"Hello James," Hermione smiled. She stooped down to give Lily and big hug and a kiss along with the bunch of flowers she had brought.

"How are you feeling?" she asked Lily with one eyebrow raised, insinuating that she didn't want anything sugar-coated.

"Sore," admitted Lily, shifting slightly from where she was sitting in the bed. "But I'm all good considering. The healer said that the labour went quite smoothly considering my… previous complications."

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly and she looked into the distance when she next spoke.

"I was scared, Hermione. I was scared that I wasn't going to hear him cry."

Hermione nodded, not wanting to push Lily any further. Harry may have been born, but her emotions were still all over the place. It was a bittersweet moment for all of them. Harry was here, safe and sound. Niamh was not, and never would be.

"Would you like to hold him?" Lily's voice pierced through Hermione's thoughts, suddenly brighter.

Hermione could only nod, knowing that her voice would betray her emotions. She walked over to the bassinet in the corner of the room, and peered at the sleeping baby within.

His face was still all scrunched and red, but he had plenty of black hair covering his head, sticking up all over the place. Before scooping him into her arms, Hermione reached out with one hand, smoothing it carefully over his head.

"Hi, Harry," she whispered. "It's me. Hermione."

Harry whimpered slightly in his sleep, but he did not wake. Supporting his head with one hand, and the rest of his body with her other hand, Hermione lifted him towards her cradling him against her chest.

She could feel everyone's eyes on her as she turned around with Harry in her arms. Remus has brought a camera along, and she held Harry up slightly so that he could take a picture of the pair of them. He quietly promised her a copy when he developed them, not quite looking her in the eye as he spoke to her. He was still mad, and Hermione did not blame him. It had taken her months to come to terms with her fate, and she expected no less from him.

Sirius joined in the next photo, so that Harry could have a photo with both of his godparents together. Hermione took the camera from Remus to take a few of him and Harry, despite his protests. Lily and James had more than a dozen photos each with Harry before Hermione thought to put him back to bed. A growing baby needed plenty of sleep, even if he was surrounded by all the love he needed.

As she carried him across the room back to his bassinet, she cooed softly at him, pressing a soft kiss on his small forehead.

"Look how many people are here to see you, Harry," she said in a whisper so that the others would not be able to hear her. "Never forget that we love you. Whatever happens, we will never stop loving you. You'll have a much better life, full of wonderful things. I promise. I will do whatever I can to keep you and your family safe."

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><p><em><strong>IMPORTANT!<strong>_

_**My other **_**_fic "Legitimement Maries" has been nominated for a couple of awards in the 1st Annual Beechwood Fan Fiction Academy Awards. I would really appreciate it if you went over to their website to vote for me._**

**_I have been nominated in the following categories:_**

1. HP: Best Fanon

2. HP: Best Overall Fic

**_Here is the website, so you can vote (take out the spaces):_**

fanfictionawards . weebly nominees . html

**_You have until April 15 to vote!_**


	52. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43: Parsel**

**Parseltongue**

"I call this meeting to Order," Dumbeldore's voice boomed over the chatter, and the room fell silent at once. It was odd seeing him here, amongst all the squashy armchairs and soft rugs. An outsider might have seen this as a friendly gathering. A cup of tea was ready and waiting for when he finished speaking. Small plates of crumpets were close by.

Around the room, all the familiar faces looked bright and energetic as they sipped their drinks; grazing on the food that Molly Weasley had prepared with the help of Alice Longbottom and Dorcas Meadowes. Indeed, despite Hermione's ever-present sense of apprehension she hoped that Dumbledore wouldn't notice her sneaking a jam tart as he chaired the meeting.

Ordinarily this was the job of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, but given recent events Dumbledore had been in charge of organizing meetings for the Order.

Hermione deemed this utterly unnecessary. It was not as if the Order had some grand schemes they were planning to carry out. Since the deaths of Gideon and Fabian, most of the missions had been aimed at minimising damage.

The fire that had occurred when the McKinnons had been killed was partly to blame. Although mostly recovered, their still damaged lungs slowed Gideon and Fabian down. They simply did not have the physical stamina to get away in time, as well as duel. It looked as though Molly had been keeping herself busy with caring for others to keep her grief at bay.

Turning her mind back to the present, Hermione surveyed the room. The Order had gathered in the annex of Aberforth's bar. On the surface everyone seemed jovial – for some it had been awhile since they had last spoken. Letters were rarely sent as owls were constantly being intercepted, and more often than not, manhandled to the point of animal cruelty.

Dumbledore chattered on and on despite the air of growing tension in the room. Feet were shuffling around, and chairs were being shifted as the occupants of the room began to get fidgety and restless. Hermione could not blame them. Even those who adamantly denied Voldemort's growing power were becoming convinced that the disappearances were more sinister than what they originally expected. Funerals were far too frequent to be ignored.

It was a terrible waste, Hermione decided. She knew exactly how the situation could be remedied, and yet it was like being in a full body-bind curse – unable to move until someone more powerful came along to help. Time was running out, and Hermione had already lost several important people in her life.

She had forgotten what acute grief felt like. Realistically, it had been so long in her life since someone she cared for had passed on.

Passed on. Passed away. What did those words even mean?

How was it any less hurtful than saying someone was dead?

Dead. Death. Dying.

They were not dirty words. They were truthful.

But the truth hurt sometimes.

Hermione's eyes looked across the room to Sirius. He looked like he hadn't seen the sun in several weeks. Dark hair was lank against his pale skin, and his usually vibrant eyes had lost that indefinable spark that made Sirius himself.

Hermione had long accepted that he loved Marlene despite any turbulence that was present in their relationship. Marlene had been a constant in his life, much like James and Remus.

James was sitting next to him, with Remus on his other side. At that point Remus happened to turn his head and make eye contact with her. Hermione looked away quickly, as though she had seen something unclean or obscene. She didn't want him to think that she spent her entire evening looking at him; even so, nervous butterflies effervesced in her stomach, and threated to spill out of her mouth.

Usually Hermione had Lily to talk to, but she was at home with Harry. Her last letter had said that she was having some difficulty getting him into a routine. The nights were long and without sleep. Now that Hermione looked at James, she was sure that she could see a hint of a purple smudge underneath his eyes.

Molly Weasley, on the other hand, had brought along Ron. She kept him close to her in a sling as she busied herself by setting tables, and refreshing drinks. The crotched cushion covers and blankets were her contribution to the annexe, and they reminded Hermione so acutely of the Burrow that she had to rapidly blink several times when she first saw them. It was beginning to feel more like home.

The murmurs in the room had steadily risen in volume, and even when Hermione was concentrating, she found it hard to hear what Dumbledore was saying.

Out of one ear she could hear the quiet mumblings of Mundungus Fletcher. He was standing in one corner of the room with his coat open. Two young men were peering in. They were new members, only just out of Hogwarts. Hermione hoped they weren't naïve enough to accept whatever ludicrous offers Dung had for them.

"I ask that you keep your voices down!" Dumbledore's voice boomed above all the others. His face was still, but his eyes burned, especially when a small but disgruntled voice piped up from the middle of the crowd.

"What for? We ain't done nothin' for weeks, and You-know-'oo ain't stopping jus' because we are!"

A general cry of agreement filtered through to where Dumbledore was standing at the front of the room.

Dumbledore remained calm despite the potential for a mutiny right before his very eyes.

"With the assistance of a select few, I am working on a top secret plan. For the safety of us all, there is no more information that I can indulge about the matter. All I ask is for your patience."

"Patience?" another man said. "You want us to wait longer for answers. Now, Dumbledore, I have a family to take care of. I've got a missus who won't leave beyond the front door without me. What am I supposed to tell her?"

"Yes," yet another voice sounded, this time female. "What about the children? Should I even bother sending them to Hogwarts when term starts?"

Dumbledore allowed a few more individuals to vent their frustrations before he chose to intervene. He was as poised as ever, allowing the words to merely wash over him.

"I assure you," he said at last, putting up a hand to silence the group. "There is no safer place to be than Hogwarts. The teachers are exceptionally trained witches and wizards, many of whom are members of the Order. There are no safety issues as far as children are concerned. Yes, we are working on some plans to improve the safety of the community as a whole, but we must not allow ourselves to get caught up in the day-to-day problems we face. Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"

Silence followed his question, although Hermione was certainly rattling off a few reasons in her head as to why Dumbledore should not actually be trusted.

"Unless anyone has anything useful to contribute," Dumbledore continued, "then I call this meeting adjourned."

The meeting was stunned into silence for a few seconds before the angry mutterings started up again amongst one another. Dumbledore had left the room, and they ha no one to direct their frustration to other than themselves. Picking up their belongings, they filed out of the annexe and into the bar below. Aberforth could be seen behind the bar beginning to serve out drinks. Hermione started to slowly descend the stairs, wondering where on Earth she could go from here; metaphorically speaking, of course. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of purple swish its way out the front door of the bar.

Running down the last of the stairs, Hermione did her best to weave through the crowd that had begun to gather. Propelling herself out the door, she came face to face with the Headmaster. His calm exterior was the antithesis of how Hermione must have looked. Her brain was working in overdrive with what Dumbledore had said in the meeting.

"What is the top secret plan that you are working on?" Hermione hissed into his face, angered that he would not inform her of his intentions.

"It is not safe to talk here," replied Dumbledore as relaxed as ever. "I will send for you to meet me at Hogwarts when all the arrangements have been made. This may take a few more weeks. Good evening, Hermione."

**_Apologies for taking so long to update. Shift work sucks._**


	53. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: Einverständnis**

**Understanding**

Hermione wandered around from room to room of her house looking at the dust-free surfaces and perfectly pressed fabrics. The silence was drowned out by ticking clocks and dripping taps.

It was that odd time of the afternoon where it wasn't quite evening, but there was not enough day left to do anything meaningful with it. Usually there was some washing or ironing, or general tidying that needed doing; but Hermione had just finished all of those things. The house was as clean as it was empty.

She thought about asking some friends around for dinner before it occurred to her that she did not have that many friends to invite over anyway. Lily and James were in a perpetual state of exhaustion and refused to go anywhere. The only conversation she had with Remus these days was polite and in a group setting. Sirius, on the other hand, was still grieving and Hermione did not want to pressure him with her sob story. Still, it was worth a try. He was feeling lonely. She was feeling lonely. She also had a brand new bottle of fire-whisky in the cupboard that was begging to be tasted.

Snatching her wand from where it had been sitting on the coffee table, she circled it in the air a few times before a crisp and new piece of parchment zoomed towards her, accompanied by a bottle of ink and a quill. Pulling the stopper from the bottle, she carefully dipped the nib of the quill into it and began to write a brief invitation to Sirius.

Her first instinct had been to use the Floo network, but Sirius and Remus were still living together and Hermione did not want to create an awkward situation. A letter was far more private, and he would be able to reject her offer without nearly as much embarrassment. It would even give him time to think of an appropriate excuse if he didn't feel like coming over at all.

Sealing the letter with some string, Hermione wandered over to the large metal cage that took up an entire corner of her lounge room. Inside sat a tawny barn owl. Dumbledore had gifted her this owl. It was technically a school owl, but Dumbledore said she was close to retirement anyway. She had only been with Hermione a short while, and was yet to receive a name.

Coaxing the owl over with a gentle nudge of her hand, Hermione attached the letter firmly to its leg, and opened the window just enough so that she would be able to spread her wings and take off into the dusky sky.

**HPHPHPHPHPHP**

It was a little over an hour before Hermione heard a knock at her front door. Sirius must have decided to come over after all. Putting down the book she had begun to read, Hermione stood to allow her guest in. It had begun to rain outside, and she didn't want him to track too much mud onto her freshly cleaned carpet.

Only it wasn't Sirius when she opened the door.

Remus was standing on the top step, underneath the meager alcove waiting to be let in as though it was the most normal thing in the world. Hermione didn't know what to make of the situation.

"But I sent a letter to Sirius…didn't I? Tell me I haven't gone completely bonkers. I did address it to the right person. I'm sure I did."

Despite the fact that he was steadily getting damper as the intensity of the rain increased, Remus let out a laugh.

"Hermione, you really need to relax. You did address the letter to the right person. It was just the wrong person who read it. By wrong person, I mean me."

Hermione instantly looked annoyed and huffed out air from her mouth.

"Oh, go on then, come in," she said taking his wet coat from him as she ushered him into the warm lounge room. Placing the coat on the back of the chair she continued to speak.

"What are you doing reading other people's mail anyway? I was always brought up to believe that was rude, not to mention dishonest."

"That's not the only thing that's dishonest," said Remus without a trace of uncertainty in his voice. Hermione looked up, startled at his response only to find that his hazel eyes was staring straight back at her with a penetrating gaze.

They were back here again. The same old arguments were about to be rehashed. They would bicker and pout and not speak to each other for a while. Then when they had cooled down, they would tentatively start up another round of friendship before it was torn down again.

Despite the fact that they both acknowledged where they were at fault, there were no measures put into place between them to heal the ever-expanding rift. This time it had happened in less than five minutes. It was a new record for them.

"I was under the impression that we weren't going to talk about this anymore," said Hermione as she took the seat opposite Remus. "We've said all there is to say."

"Have we?" he asked of her. "Because I don't even know where we stand with each other anymore. You're always in such a hurry when I see you. We don't ever get the chance to talk."

Hermione's mouth twisted as he spoke, not wishing to discuss their failed relationship again. It would be better for him to move on from her. He was young and should be full of life, not pining after the same woman months after they agreed to end a romantic relationship in favour of a platonic friendship.

"I'm in a hurry because I'm busy quite a lot of the time," she replied, fighting to keep her voice neutral.

Remus shifted slightly in his seat. "You _never_ seem to have time. Whenever I see you at meetings, you look sad, or tired. Or both."

Hermione ignored her instinct to respond to the fact that he had clearly been observing her, instead focusing on the other subject matter.

"I seem like I don't have any time because I'm rushed off my feet all the time. It's not exactly an easy job to defeat Voldemort when you don't know what you're doing."

"But you do know what you are doing. You have quite literally seen into the future. You probably understand more about me than what I understand about myself."

Hermione hid her horror that he had made all these assumptions about her in the intervening months since he had last spoken properly with her.

"That's not true, Remus," she replied, attempting to her hide her exasperation with both him and the topic of their discussion.

"How can it not be true? That's why you spend so much time with Dumbledore. Between the two of you, you could rule the world."

"And what does it say about us that we haven't?" Hermione's resolve crumbled and she could feel her breath become shallow. Blood reached her cheeks, colouring them with her frustration.

"I don't know," Remus moaned, putting his head into his hands. "I just don't know."

"It doesn't work that way," Hermione continued as she regulated her breathing once more.

Remus finally lifted his head, looking Hermione dead in the eye as he spoke to her.

"Then tell me how it does work."

Hermione could not help the dry laugh that escaped from her mouth.

"If I could tell you that, then I really could rule the world. For one, things are moving quite differently to what I originally thought. When I first arrived, I had lost my memory. I didn't know who I was; let alone who you were, or anyone else for that fact. Remember that time I had to ask you who Voldemort was?"

Remus nodded – both at her question, but also for her to continue speaking.

"I genuinely did not know a thing about this world. I didn't even have a wand. I couldn't have told you anything, even if I wanted to. Then you helped me remember, and it all came back at once. It was too much. I couldn't deal with that much information and that much pressure all at once. I didn't tell you because I was scared."

Hermione had spent a great deal of time wondering what had gone wrong in their relationship. By all other accounts, it had been perfect. Whilst trust was an issue for them, there would had to have been a reason for her to not trust him in the first place.

Nevertheless, it was the first time that she had acknowledged her fear. It was more than just being scared of what had happened.

The insurmountable pressure that had been placed on her had been bottled up and she didn't know how to release it. Admitting that she was scared seemed to release just a little of the tension. Perhaps it was just enough to ensure that she didn't explode.

"I'm seeing Dumbledore soon. He said that he had something important to discuss with me, but I don't know what it is yet. He has so much more control over this situation, and I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with that. Actually, I know that I'm not comfortable with that. Something is bound to happen, Remus; something really terrible."

Remus heard a quiet sob escape her before he crosed the room to be next to her and pulled her in towards his chest.

"I just don't know what to do about it."

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><p><em><strong>Read and review!<strong>_


	54. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45: Abendessen**

**Dinner**

**_Authors' Note: A pet peeve of mine is long authors' notes, so I will try to keep this short. _**

**_First – apologies for taking so long to update. I've had a few stressful life events recently._**

**_Second – When I first started writing this story, I had a different plan for the ending and the chapters I wrote then for the ending are now obsolete. So, rewriting everything is taking far longer than expected._**

**_Thirdly – even though I've been terrible with updates, could you find it in your heart to read and review?_**

It had been several weeks since Hermione had collapsed into Remus' outstretched arms and she hated herself every day for it.

'It was a moment of weakness,' she kept repeating to herself, hoping that one day she would actually believe it.

Despite the continuous mental berating that she was living with, Hermione still managed to put it to one side and get on with her day-to-day activities. Tonight, that included a six-thirty dinner with the Potter family. It was the first of its kind since Harry had been born. Lily and James had finally emerged from the cocoon that was parenting, realising that life had not stopped around them whilst they were feeding, changing and adoring their son.

Living so close, Hermione had found it easy to visit them quite regularly since Harry had been born. At first it had mostly been to check that the Fidelius charm was working and that they were safe, but it was easy to forget about that when Harry gave her his first smile and would lift his pudgy hands to her for a cuddle.

The summer had been blissfully warm, but now that Halloween was approaching the nights were cooling down quite dramatically from the daytime sun. Hermione wrapped a thin cloak around her shoulders before checking her wand was in her pocket and jogging down the paths and alleys that created Godric's Hollow.

Their home came into view as she rounded the last corner, and she smiled when she saw the warm glow of light coming from behind James as he opened the door for his guests, unseen to anyone else in the street. Sirius had already arrived, and Hermione's heart gave a lurch in her chest when she saw Remus was beside him.

He looked less gaunt than the previous times she had seen him, but was now unsure of how to deal with the situation. Obviously she expected him to be there, but it was still slightly unsettling given the face that the last time she had seen him she had been sobbing into his chest. It was not exactly the look that she had been going for.

Now her brain was crowded with thoughts of what the appropriate course of action was. A part of her brain had engaged the fight or flight response, and she was definitely considering the 'flight' part of that.

"Hermione!" James peered around Sirius and Remus to greet her, giving her a brief hug when she approached him. Forcing a smile onto her face, Hermione hoped that she fooled them for long enough to get through the dinner.

James ushered them all inside, ready to ply them with food and drink.

Hermione entered the small home to find that it was the neatest it had been in months. Lily emerged from the kitchen glowing with self-pride. Hermione marveled at how she had the energy to accomplish this with a two-and-a-half month old baby.

They crowded around the table, and took to their seats with their drinks in hand. There was laughter and nobody commented on the fact that Marlene was missing. No one brought up the latest war news from 'The Prophet' or that Severus had been notably absent from several meetings held by the Order of the Phoenix. Not one person asked Hermione why there were several priceless magical artifacts under lock and key in Aberforth's bar.

"Look at us!" exclaimed Sirius at one point, grinning as he balanced on the back legs of his chair. "Who would've thought that one day we would be grown up enough to be holding a dinner party."

James chuckled as he took another swig of his wine. "Pads, don't go getting all soppy on me. I don't think I could bear another emotional woman in this house."

Instead of getting angry with her husband, Lily only shook her head and topped his glass up with more drink. If he was going to drink, he may as well do it properly and for the both of them.

"Shush James," she said to him. "I think that's a lovely sentiment, Sirius. We ought to do this more often."

A little more laughter accompanied the banter until Harry's cries woke them from overhead. Hermione volunteered to check on the baby.

When she entered his room, she found him lying on his back, squirming around in the blankets. Being extra careful to support his head, she lifted him from the bed, cradling him to her chest.

His cries momentarily escalated to shrieks before he sensed familiarity and settled down. Hermione placed herself in the rocking chair that had been donated to Lily several months before. It had belonged to an elderly lady who was no longer able to bear weight on her legs to be able to walk from her bed to the chair. It was beautifully crafted and very comfortable, therefore Hermione did not realize that she had been with Harry for over half and hour when she heard Remus' footsteps ascend the stairs.

It was several moments before his face appeared at the door, seemingly anxious at what he might find within.

"Hi," he whispered, not wanting to wake the now sleeping Harry. "You hadn't come back down. I was just checking to see if you were okay. It's getting late."

Even in the dim light, he could see the beginnings of a contented smile of Hermione's face.

"I'm alright," she replied, carefully getting up so as not to wake Harry. "Just lost track of time."

She placed him back in his cot to sleep, and gently pulled the blankets up to keep him warm for the rest of the night.

"I should probably head off though," she continued, turning to face Remus. "I have an early meeting with Albus in the morning."

Remus immediately began to look shy. His face was pointed down towards his feet, and Hermione was sure that he was using the sleeping baby as an excuse to quietly mumble what he said next.

"I'm happy to walk you home," he whispered, still not looking up. "Like I said, it's getting late and it is very dark outside."

Hermione was slightly taken aback by his offer, but not nearly as taken aback as her lack of resistance to the request.

"That's very kind of you, Remus. I'll get my bag from downstairs and we can go – if you're ready, that is."

Remus nodded, finally looking Hermione in the eyes. "I'll be waiting out the front."

Quickly going back downstairs, Hermione said her thanks and goodbye's before being true to her word and meeting Remus at the front of the house in record time.

The first thing she noticed when she got past the front door was how nervous Remus seemed to be looking. Perhaps he regretted his decision to walk her home? The second thing that Hermione noticed was a massive drop in the temperature. James and Lily's house had been incredibly warm, and Hermione's cardigan now seemed very thin against the cool autumn breeze.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Hermione put on a brave face as she joined Remus. With one last wave to the others, and a promise from Remus to Sirius that he would indeed by home soon, the pair set off into the dim lamplight.

"Tonight was lovely," said Hermione, endeavouring to stop her teeth chattering as she attempted small talk.

"Cold?" asked Remus, seeing right through Hermione's façade.

"I'll be okay, we're almost there," replied Hermione, wanting to fill up as much of the silence between them that she possibly could. Silence between her and Remus had not been a thing she considered until recently. She decided that she didn't like it. It was far too uncomfortable because it gave her time to think of past times where silence hadn't been so awkward between them.

Remus laughed, and in one swift move had put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, pulling her into the warmth of his jacket. Hermione's shivering slowly ceased, but she couldn't help but feel the prickliness of the situation. Remus' body had become far more defined since she had last felt it, and right now she was able to feel it right through the jacket. Insides squirming she looked for a distraction. Remus beat her to it.

"Tonight was lovely. It's good to see everyone. I hardly get to see you anymore, Hermione. I can't help but feel that you're deliberately hiding yourself away from me."

Hermione's insides had turned into a different kind of uncomfortable now. It was a nagging tightness that hadn't gone away since she had moved to Godric's Hollow.

"I'm not hiding away from you." Hermione hoped that Remus wouldn't be able to see through her fib. Her personality was far too guilty for her to excel at any kind of lying.

"Then let's get together again some time. Just for dinner, nothing else."

It was a statement, not a request. Hermione had no excuses. After all, what was a dinner between two friends?

**HPHPHPHPH**

Hermione's eyes widened as Dumbledore pointed at the world map he had spread out on his desk.

"Marbach is a commune in Alsace. A holiday destination for muggles, however they can not see where we are going."

Hermione momentarily closed her eyes as she attempted to digest the information.

"Where exactly are we going?' she warily asked of the Headmaster as she opened her eyes. Fortunately for her, Dumbledore was only too happy to ply her with more information.

"Centuries ago, a Knight built the beautiful Abbey of Marbach. Unfortunately, due to political unrest the majority of the Abbey was destroyed until the very gifted Madam Evangeline rebuilt it and made it functional. I say she is gifted because of her efforts, but also because she is a witch. Not only is she a witch, she is one of the very few witches who is able to speak Parseltongue."

Hermione's eyes widened. She had not heard of someone other than Harry or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named being able to speak Parseltongue.

"She's agreed to help?" Hermione could not help but be more than a little cautious when it came to Professor Dumbledore.

"Indeed, she has," Dumbledore smiled brightly, rolling up the map with a tap of his wand. "I have agreed to meet with her, very soon in fact, and I would much appreciate that you join me."

Numerous questions flitted in and out of Hermione's mind before she even had the chance to acknowledge half of them.

"I will, but only if you tell me why we need to see her. Why is being able to speak Parseltongue so important?" she demanded of Dumbledore.

"Why, how else would we be able to get into the Chamber of Secrets?"

Hermione felt her stomach drop to the floor. He was mad. He must be. There was no other explanation for his foolishness.

"What do you suppose we do once we get into the chamber?" Hermione scoffed. She could feel her temper rising as she spoke. "Shall we pop in and ask the Basilisk if he would kindly donate a fang to ensure the destruction of his master? I think not."

"Minor details," Dumbledore dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. "Especially now that we have Madam Evangeline on our side. Did I mention that she has a few other pieces that would be of use to us?"

Having heard enough, Hermione's brain temporarily switched off.

"Fine," she said. "I'll go with you, but I'll be damned before I set foot into that Chamber. I don't care what information that lady-friend of yours has. We are no use to one another, if we are dead."

"That's fine," hummed Dumbledore as he rose from his chair and began to fiddle about with the items on his desk, straightening some up whilst putting others away in drawers. "I will apparate us momentarily."

Hermione's mouth had already opened to protest, but Dumbledore beat her to it.

"I know that you can not apparate in and out of Hogwarts, Miss Granger, but being Headmaster certainly has its privileges."

Hermione closed her mouth as soon as she saw a flash out of the corner of her eye. It seemed that one of the portraits was not as adept as the others at faking sleep. Hermione glared as she refastened her cloak around her shoulders, in preparation for the journey.

Turning back to Dumbledore, she saw him place a few empty glass vials into his robes before he joined her at the opposite side of his desk, ready for action.

"If you could take my arm," he said to Hermione, holding out said limb, "we can be off."

Hermione pursed her lips in frustration before taking his arm, and feeling the familiar tug of apparition from her navel. It had been quite a while since Hermione had last travelled in this way, and the bile rising in her throat was nothing more than a testament to the fact.

Feeling her feet firmly plant themselves on solid ground, she swallowed down the contents of her stomach, and refocused her eyes to the picturesque commune of Marbach.

The smell of earth and sweet fruit permeated the air, and for miles all Hermione could see were vineyards. The sun looked as though it had been up for several hours, but it did not bring the warmth that Hermione sought. Shrugging herself further into her cloak, Hermione managed to regain control of her balance, and together with Dumbledore they followed the only path that their eyes could see.

Hermione could hardly consider it a path; it was more of a track that had been beaten down and trampled on by nearby farmers. Still, with her hand closed firmly around the wand inside her cloak she walked behind Dumbledore, wishing that she had eyes in the back of her skull.

Despite the beauty of the landscape and her ever-present disdain with Dumbledore's plans, Hermione found her attention wandering off to her upcoming dinner with Remus.

Was it a date? Or perhaps just a dinner as friends?

Hermione could never tell if she was overthinking the issue, or not thinking it through enough. The tension raged on in her head so much so that she did not notice that Dumbledore had stopped in front of her, and she had a one-way ticket onto the ground via Dumbledore's backside.

"Perhaps, I should have given you more warning," chuckled Dumbledore as he extended a hand towards Hermione so that she could lever herself from the ground.

Hermione did not say anything to the Headmaster. She only grumbled and muttered quietly to herself as she dusted bits of grass and dead flower petals from her clothes, not quite noticing the reason for which Dumbledore had stopped.

"Bonjour, Evangeline!" he called out, and Hermione thought he had truly gone mad until she noticed a frail, elderly lady emerging from behind a large stone wall.

The lady walked with a stick, but Hermione noticed that she preferred to grip the wall with her free hand and wave back with her stick in the air.

"Bonjour, Albus. Que c'est beau de vous voir! Comment ça va?"

Despite the woman's age and her apparently delicate constitution, her voice was strong and relayed a great sense of might and power beneath the bony exterior.

"Ca va bien Madame, merci. Il est merveilleux de vous revoir," chuckled Dumbledore as he walked over to embrace her in a hug.

Hermione's French was rudimentary from having spent holidays in France with her parents, and she could only guess that pleasantries were being exchanged in this situation. Although there seemed to be some German also thrown into the conversation that followed this. Hermione patiently waited while they spoke, and chose to take in the beautiful scenery until invited to be in the conversation once more.

"Albus, who is this young lady you have brought with you?" Madam Evangeline changed to English, and Hermione was glad to be included in the conversation once more.

"Evangeline, I would like for you to meet Hermione. She is currently assisting my research, which would be better discussed in a closed room and not in the middle of a field."

Madam Evangeline took the hint and used her walking stick to beckon them forward past the stone wall from which she had first been seen. All at once, Hermione was greeted by a beautiful stone building, almost like a small cathedral.

Evangeline must have seen Hermione looking awestruck. She chuckled and pulled Hermione along slightly with her arm.

"Didn't Albus tell you that you would be coming here to the Abbey, dear girl?"

Hermione continued to gaze up in wonder. It was a breathtaking structure, and not the ruins that Hermione expected to see.

"He did tell me. I just wanted expecting something so…"

Hermione could not find the words to describe it, but it seemed that Madam Evangeline took it in her stride.

"I rebuilt the Abbey from the ruins a number of decades ago, and have since used it as a sort of safe house for witches and wizards in peril. It is invisible to the non-magic folk, but that does not matter. They do not understand our ways anyway."

Hermione followed both Dumbledore and Madam Evangeline through an enormous wooden door, and down a stone archway until they came to point where the walkway split into two.

"That is where the dormitories are," said Madam pointing to the passageway on the right. "You are most welcome to spend the night, should you need to. I have plenty of spare beds to keep you."

Dumbledore nodded, however declined her offer.

"Our meeting shouldn't take too long, and we'll be on our way again. I have a number of matters to attend to in London and back at Hogwarts. Your hospitality, however, is appreciated."

The left corridor opened out into an enormous lounge room with vaulted ceilings and dozens of candles floating along the walls casting a warm glow around the room. A fire blazed at one end, cutting out any cold draughts.

Madam quickly bustled about the room offering tea and desserts from a tray. Hermione politely accepted one of each, and her mouth was soon watering as she bit into the delicate flakiness of a pastry. Another quickly followed it; and Hermione marveled at how fresh the fruit was on her tart and how it must have come from the surrounding fields. It was so absorbing that she had temporarily lost hold of the conversation between Dumbledore and Madam.

"Well, I do not see how I can help in that situation Dumbledore. I am well over one hundred years old now, and I can not keep up with that pace anymore. Not to mention the girl. Why are you risking her life and well as your own."

Dumbledore had lost the gaiety he possessed moments ago.

"Evangeline, I beseech you to reconsider. I trust Hermione's instincts among other things. Your gifts with language would be of enormous assistance to us. It would be for only a day, and then you would be free to come back to the Abbey."

Madam Evangeline seemed to waver. The tea sloshed around slightly in her cup as her hands quivered ever so slightly.

"There is a legend, although I would call it more of a rumour that may be able to help this situation. I would need a rooster for it, and even then I can not guarantee that either of you would make it out alive."

"Merci beaucoup, Madam," said Dumbledore, his voice relieved. Although Hermione was once again left wondering what on Earth he had just agreed to.


	55. Update

Again we have reached a period of time where there is not going to be many updates. There is a reason for this!

Day 8590859038945023 and still no update...

I admit to not having written the chapter that is chronologically next in the book, and that is because I am writing backwards. I have started writing one of the chapters towards the end, and I'm working my way to the part I have already published.

I have a lot going on in my life right now all of which is inappropriate to post on this website, and I can not make any guarantees as to when the next chapter will happen. I just wanted to let you know that I've not forgotten you, and that I value all your reviews and love so far.

Thank you for being so patient with me!


	56. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: Third time is the charm**

**Aller guten Dinge sind drei**

"I know that we agreed on a simple dinner, but I couldn't find anywhere that would accommodate a fugitive, of sorts," Remus chuckled as he held his arm out for Hermione to hold on to.

Hermione's eyes widened, and her lips pressed together in confusion. The night had barely begun and already she was filling with regret.

"What in the name of Merlin do you mean, Remus?"

"Trust me. I'll get us there safely. _Destination, determination and deliberation_."

Hermione opened her mouth ready to argue that she could neither determine nor deliberate when she didn't actually know the destination; however she thought better of it. If this were going to be a pleasant evening, she would have to bite her tongue when it came to the small details.

"Right," Remus' voice came out of her reverie. "Ready to go in three…two…one!"

Hermione felt a pinch from her navel before the crushing void enveloped her and her date. She could feel every internal organ being squeezed and the pressure was already giving her a headache.

Fortunately, it was over in a moment and the cool December air was soon helping to restore her equilibrium.

A long, country road was winding before them, with almost oil painting perfection. The trees were waving away the last of their autumnal leaves in what remained of the afternoon light.

"I was hoping we would get here a little earlier in the afternoon," said Remus, putting his hands in his pockets to keep them warm. "I know the light's getting dim, but do you recognise this place?"

Hermione squinted her eyes as she turned her head to the side.

"No, not yet anyway. Should I know it?"

Remus gave a single nod of his head.

"Maybe you will in a minute or two…we'll need to go this way…" he replied, gently holding onto Hermione's elbow to lead her down the path and towards an old gate that was creaking slightly in the breeze.

Hermione was left utterly bewildered as she blindly followed on, the light diminishing further as they dodged the odd tree root. It was colder here, although Hermione was still not sure where 'here' was exactly. At least Remus had a smile on his face.

All of a sudden they came across a clearing, and it was as if Hermione's memory had been unlocked once more. The fallen log was in the correct place, complete with vines running across it. The field was bare of flowers, but Hermione only had to close her eyes to envision the moment the Room of Requirement had transformed into this place many months before.

Even in the beginnings of winter, it took her breath away.

He remembered it too. He didn't say as much, but it was obvious that he took notice the first time; otherwise he wouldn't have bothered to bring her back.

In the fading light, Hermione could just about make out a picnic basket and blanket sitting underneath the boughs of a distant tree. She felt Remus take her hand in his, guiding her over towards it, careful not to let her trip or fall on the uneven surface of the grass.

With several short and sharp jabs of his wand, the entire scene had been lit up with dozens of small candles. Paper lanterns had been strung across the tree braches, marking out their territory.

Hermione did not notice that Remus had let go of her hand until he was offering her a glass of champagne.

"Care for a drink? I charmed the lanterns to give off some heat so we don't freeze to death when the sun goes down completely."

Hermione shrugged off her coat and placed it on the edge of the picnic blanket before accepting the glass.

"You really did think of everything…" Hermione's voice trailed off in a mixture of amusement and awe.

"Yep," grinned Remus, making himself comfortable on the blanket, and indication for Hermione to do the same. "Only this time, it's real."

**_I don't know how many of you actually read this, but I feel as if I owe you an explanation for the time I've been away. It has been months and I apologise for that, but here is my reason._**

**_Back in May my grandfather was diagnosed with an aggressive and terminal form of cancer. For the short period of time he was unwell, I became one of his carers doing everything from helping him around the house to giving him injections of medication. It consumed a huge amount of my time and energy. By the beginning of July, he had deteriorated quite seriously and passed away. When this happened, I was a week into a new job and feeling quite stressed on top of the grief I was feeling. Writing took a back seat until quite recently, hence the lack of updates._**

**_I hope to get back into some kind of routine, but as always, I refuse to make a promise I might not be able to keep._**

**_Life is certainly getting better for me right now, and I would like to give you some new reading material ASAP, so stay tuned for more :)_**


	57. Chapter 47

**_Thank you to all who reviewed with condolences about my Grandfather's passing. They were very much appreciated. As I mentioned in the post on the previous chapter, things are looking better and brighter_**

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><p><strong>Chapter 47: Mord<strong>

**Murder**

The room was cold, but this could be ignored. What was more pertinent was the silence. All eyes were averted towards the floor, however each occupant of the room had their ears pricked up, waiting for any new piece of information.

Finally, Voldemort spoke.

"Severus," his voice was quiet, but clear enough to be heard across the whole room without any difficulty. "You once asked me to spare your life as you could be of 'use' to me. That time has come."

Severus was using the majority of his concentration on trying to keep Voldemort out of his mind. His master must have been desperate because it was becoming increasingly difficult.

Every pair of eyes was aimed at Severus. The meeting so far had been several Death Eaters gloating about the damage they had inflicted on a group of unsuspecting muggles, and the memory of the conversation was enough to make Severus' stomach heave.

"I do not believe that now is the best opportunity to impart my knowledge to you, my Lord," replied Snape, striving to keep his tone conversational yet meaningful.

The Dark Lord genuinely looked perplexed. Nobody had ever dared question him before about such a matter. His stare at Snape intensified.

"Do you wish to divulge a reason for that, Severus?"

"Again, it is something which is better spoken of in private. I do not wish to hide information from you, my Lord, just from some others who may…misunderstand."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, but he did not react immediately.

After a moment of thought, he briskly clapped his hands in front of him several times.

"Very well," he spoke to the room at large. "Severus and I shall speak privately. You will wait to be invited back into the room."

The other Death Eaters took a moment to register the instructions. Their master had never adjourned a meeting for the sake of a private interlude. Whatever was to be said was usually shared amongst them. Nobody was a favourite.

Finally the sound of scraping chairs and footsteps died away, leaving Severus alone with Voldemort.

"What is it, Severus, that is so important that it can not be shared amongst the others?"

Severus had to suppress a shiver. He could not look into his master's eyes, but he knew that they were trying to pierce through him.

"It is about Lily Evans, my Lord. Or rather, I should say Lily Potter now that she had married that blood-traitor… Really, though, the story begins with Hogwarts and Dumbledore."

Snape began to relay the story to his master: Dumbledore had been having increasing difficulty in securing teachers for various posts within the school. The rarity of seers had made him desperate and he had sought the help of the granddaughter of a true seer.

Knowing that what he was about to do could invite death upon him, he took the chance. At least Lily would then get what she deserved. She could have had a life without want. She could have forever been safe; but she had made her choice, as he had made his.

Pulling out a grubby piece of paper from a pocket deep within his robes, Snape began to recite the words hastily scribbled:

_"__The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power that the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"_

It was only at this point that Snape looked up to see the reaction of his Master. The fact that he was still alive to do even that was promising; or so he thought, until Voldemort lifted his wand with a strike that equaled only a cobra.

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><p><em><strong>Exciting news. I have enough updates ready to last a month! My personal goal is to have this story complete by the end of the year (and about time too!).<strong>_


	58. Chapter 48

**Calm before the storm**

_Happy Birthday to you_

_Happy Birthday to you_

_Happy Birthday dear Harry_

_Happy Birthday to you!_

Cheers multiplied across the dining room of James and Lily Potter's home in Godric's Hollow whilst Harry's chubby fingers itched to get closer to the cream filled cake that was sitting in front of him.

"Harry, sweetheart," spoke his mother with a proud smile on her face. "We all love you dearly but no one is going to want any cake if you put all your fingers and toes in it."

She leaned forward and blew out the single candle that was burning on the top. Hermione looked beyond the candle to see the 'Happy Birthday' message on the cake.

It was amateurish at best. Lily, although accomplished at potions and everyday cooking, was yet to master cakes and other desserts. Still, it was the fact that she was alive and well to do it which pulled at Hermione's heartstrings.

"Is it time for presents yet?" said Sirius, grinning from ear to ear as he rubbed his hands together. "My godson is clearly getting impatient with the cake. He is waiting for whatever else we have to offer to him."

Lily rolled her eyes as she used a clean cloth to gently wipe the cake crumbs from her son's toes. Harry squirmed, leaning over with his hands outstretched, ready to plant them back into the cake.

"No, darling," she quietly whispered to Harry. "Why don't I put you on the floor for a few minutes? You can show everyone how well you are starting to walk."

The walking that Lily was talking of, was a slight exaggeration. Harry was a champion crawler, and he would often stand on his feet for a few seconds, before promptly landing on his bottom. Laughing raucously, he would try that again and again until boredom would take over, and toys would distract him.

As soon as James had placed Harry on the floor, he set off winding his way between the feet of his birthday guests. Hermione chuckled, using her legs to make a tunnel for him to crawl through. As soon as he made it through to the other side, Remus' hands were outstretched and waiting for him.

Bundling him up into his arms, Remus blew several raspberries where his tiny t-shirt had exposed a portion of his stomach.

Hermione did not know that so much happiness could ever be possible. It was the one emotion that could trump all others. Above fear and death, it was the one constant in her life.

Looking at Remus playing with Harry, Hermione wondered whether in her life she would ever get something so wonderful and fulfilling. Children were never something that Hermione spent a great deal of time thinking about. She had never allowed herself to indulge in such a luxury. It had always seemed too far out of reach.

Even if she did have children, what would she do with them?

Voldemort was still alive, and she could never forgive herself for bringing them into a world where her actions may get them killed. The possibility of war and having to fight meant that even a pregnancy was extremely high risk. Nine months was a long time to withdraw from the front line. Furthermore, a baby was not something that you just had and then left alone once it was born. It was an investment of time and energy that rivaled no other.

Still, even putting forth a logical argument in her head, Hermione felt the pangs of longing as Harry placed an open-mouth against Remus' cheek in what she supposed was meant to be a kiss.

"It looks like your Mummy has a few surprises for you," said Remus, pointing Lily out to her son as she levitated several rather large boxes into the dining room.

"Brilliant!" Hermione heard Sirius say she Lily brought his gift to the table first. Hermione had a fairly good idea as to what would have made him so excited.

Remus passed Harry back to Lily, who plonked him down in front of the boxes before helping him tear the coloured paper away to reveal a toy broomstick.

James whooped with joy and laughter before giving his best friend a high-five.

"Excellent! You'll be on the Gryffindor Quidditch team in first-year, Harry," exclaimed James. "I just know you will."

It was small comments like this that made Hermione more perplexed than ever. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the possibility.

Choosing to focus herself back into the moment, Hermione was pleased to see that the next gift was one from both herself and Remus. Inside the box were an enormous collection of colouring books, pencils, markers, stickers, picture books and a gift box set of various fairytales. Harry, unsure of what to do with himself picked up the nearest book at began to chew on the corner of it.

Hermione smiled at the scene, but she found her smile widening when she felt Remus' hand resting on the small of her back.

Their date night in the countryside had gone well, and Remus had been unexpectedly showing up to Hermione's home with increasing frequency. He never stayed the night, and Hermione did not push him to; but it was a step in the right direction.

Remus had always been mature for his age, but Hermione sensed that he had grown up quite a bit more since he had left school. They were no longer hormone addled adolescents. Hermione was now technically twenty-five, going on twenty six. Remus was twenty-one going on eighty-one, he was so wise and patient at times.

Hermione felt the familiar sense of peace surround her, as it often did when Remus was around. Counting her blessings, she was grateful that at the very least, Remus was patient enough to put up with her shenanigans.


	59. Chapter 49

**Venom**

The abandoned girls' bathroom was as dank and uninviting as ever. Moaning Myrtle, not wanting to cause any trouble whilst Dumbledore was present had vacated the vicinity and seconded herself to a prefect bathroom; however this was not without the obligatory wailing and carrying on that usually accompanied Myrtle.

Hermione merely rolled her eyes at the flooded floor as she entered with Dumbledore and Madam Evangeline in tow.

Hermione was the first person to approach the sink and feel for the tiny snake that was etched into the cold-water handle. Fortunately it was there, and she stepped back so that Madam Evangeline would be able to see and feel for it as well.

Madam's breath caught in her throat as her fingers traced along the carving.

"So the legend, it is true?" she gasped, turning to Professor Dumbledore for validation.

Dumbledore only had time to nod his head before Hermione spoke.

"We must hurry. I know that it is the summer holidays and there are no other students around to interrupt us, but I don't think that some of the other teachers would approve of what we are doing. I believe that most of them do not even know that you are here Madam. Indeed, I think it would be a good idea to keep it that way. Many of them do not believe in the Legend either way.

Madam Evangeline morosely nodded her own head. "You know that there is no going back after this?"

Hermione felt her mouth press into a tight line whilst Dumbledore responded for her.

"We are aware Evangeline, and we are grateful for your services. People with your talents are hard to come by."

"Thank you for your support, Albus," replied Madam Evangeline, pulling the sleeves of her robes up her arms. "Shall we get started?"

Hermione pulled her wand from a pouch in her cloak before wrapping the fabric tighter around herself. She did not want it to get in the way, but she knew that the Chamber of Secrets was even colder and despairing than the bathroom they were currently occupying. A small cage was held in her left hand, and within it squirmed a white rat. It was the kind that she had read about in science-fiction novels: all red eyes and pink tail. Perfect for humans to intervene as they wished.

She was as ready as she was ever going to be.

Evangeline stood so that she faced the sink, and her hand reached out once more to feel the small silver snake.

"_Open_," her mouth hissed. Hermione did not understand the parseltongue, however she knew from Harry that this was the password to enter to domain of the Basilisk.

All at once the bathroom fixtures began to move and separate. The halves of the wall slid out of sight allowing Hermione the space to step forward into a dimly lit chamber.

The stone-carved serpents that rose from the ground the support the ceiling were exactly as Hermione remembered them. Hermione could hear the footsteps of Professor Dumbledore and Madam Evangeline behind her, and trusting they were following her, she put her feet one step closer to the giant stone face of Salazar Slytherin. The image was powerful and Hermione had to reassure herself when she imagined the wisps of his long, thin beard move slightly. Surely, it was a trick of the eye.

The rat squirmed in the cage. Perhaps it could sense what was about to happen.

"Professor?" Hermione whispered. "I'm not sure that my transfiguration skills are quite up to scratch. It has been awhile since I have transfigured invertebrates and – "

Hermione was cut off by Madam Evangeline's hand on her shoulder.

"Self trust is the essence of heroism," she said to the young woman, turning her slightly so as to look her in the eye. Hermione could feel the blood rush to her face.

"I'm not a hero," she replied, her voice becoming weak with the horror she felt. "I can't be."

Evangeline raised an eyebrow towards Hermione, wagging her finger in front of her face to punctuate her point.

"From what I have heard from Albus, it seems to me that you are. You certainly have the courage for Gryffindor, and you seem to be constantly treading the line of safety and danger. Most importantly, you will give everything for those you love. You wouldn't be here in this position if that weren't the case. Whether you believe me or not is your choice, but it was also your choice to follow through with the plan, and we have come too far for you to back out now."

Hermione knew that Madam Evangeline spoke truth. With that assertion, she placed the cage on the grimy stone floor. The rat squirmed inside as thought it knew what was about the happen.

Hermione's hand immediately shot through the opening of the cage's door, and in one swift movement the rat was wriggling around in her hand. Taking a deep breath, she pointed her wand at the struggling creature and whispered the incantation.

Right before her very eyes, the creature had transformed into a handsome rooster. What could been of its black feathers in the dim light, shone like ebony. Its brilliant red comb stood out from the rest of it, as the bird attempted to assert its pride.

The rooster opened its mouth, ready to crow; but not before Hermione had tapped it gently on the head with her wand issuing forth a silencing spell.

With a nod from Hermione, Madam Evangeline stepped forward so that she was several feet in front of her companions. This action prompted both Hermione and Dumbledore to remove black eye masks from their robes. Madam Evangeline copied their actions, keeping a firm grip on the rooster that was still opening its mouth in an attempt to make sound.

"I will speak," she said to the others, "so listen carefully and be prepared to stun the creature. I will lift the spell from the rooster, forcing it to crow, thereby killing the Basilisk."

Hermione nodded before realising that she could not be seen.

A soft 'yes' escaped her as she felt anxiety rear in the pit of her stomach. Dumbledore stayed silent, however Hermione could feel his comforting presence beside her.

The strangled hissing stopped almost as soon as it began; short but clear in the air.

At first Hermione detected no change, and she wondered if Madam Evangeline had indeed summoned the monster.

Again Madam Evangeline spoke Parseltongue, but this time with more urgency. Hermione was glad that she couldn't understand what was really being said. She was sure that it would give her nightmares for weeks.

This time, Hermione could sense the ground move beneath her feet. It was ever so slight, but enough to increase Hermione's heart rate three-fold.

It had heard, and it was coming for them.

Gripping her wand tightly, Hermione wished her bladder had chosen a better time to be inconvenient. Needing to go to the toilet was immensely distracting when your life was on the line.

A deeper, more resonant hissing had begun now. She would sure that the monster was close enough to be able to smell them.

All of a sudden, the rumbling beneath her feet intensified and Hermione had to fight to keep her balance. However, that fight was instantly vanquished when she lost her balance entirely and fell forward onto her knees. A sharp pain shot up her legs, as she thrust her arms forward to stop her face from imbedding itself into the cold and wet stone.

Not knowing whether Dumbledore or Madam Evangeline were alright firmly set Hermione's panic, and she could feel herself trembling so badly that her arms were struggling to keep her up.

'If only I could see', thought Hermione with absolute futility. She would not take off the blindfold until Dumbledore told her it was safe to do so.

An almighty squawk sounded through the air, and small rocks began to tumble from the ceiling as there was a final crash.

'We'll be buried here for sure,' was the last thought Hermione had before the darkness enveloped her mind as well as her body.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

For what felt like the umpteenth time in her sojourn to the past, Hermione woke up in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. Attempting to rub the sleep from her eyes, Hermione was shocked to find both her hands had bandages covering them.

Her knees also felt rather stiff, and it did not take much investigation to find that they too were bandaged; however these injuries paled into insignificance when Hermione felt the lump on her head. It felt as big as an egg, and yet Hermione had no recollection of how it got there.

Fortunately Poppy Pomfrey had seen that Hermione was waking, and had bustled over with a tray of potions and poultices.

"Albus seems to have got into the habit of knocking you around a bit, hasn't he?" she said, pulling a side of the blanket up to reveal one of Hermione's knees. Pursing her lips, she started to unwrap the bandage.

"What happened?" Hermione tongue felt thick, and she was finding it tricky to talk. Poppy seemed to know exactly what she needed, because she reached over the bedside table for a glass of water.

"Small sips, dear. I'll need to give you some Skele-grow in a minute for your knees. What that man thinks is a mystery to us all. Truth be told, I'm not sure what happened to you. Fortunately Evangeline and Albus seemed to fare much better. Wrong place at the wrong time, is what Albus said to me. A bump to the head is the most worrying thing… apparently there were rocks falling and one came a little too close to you. You must have broken your knee caps when you fell, but as I said, it's nothing a little Skele-grow can't fix once I've cleaned up the last few bumps and scratches."

Hermione handed the now empty glass back to Poppy before falling back against the pillows. She could feel a cool trickle of water and potions against various parts of her arms and legs as Poppy cleansed her wounds.

Another glass appeared beside Hermione and she knew that she would not have to bring it too close to her nose to be able to recognise the vile smell that was Skele-grow.

"Pinch your nose, and down the hatch," trilled Poppy as she adjusted the blankets back over Hermione in an orderly and efficient manner. Hermione did as she was bid, taking a few deep breaths once she was done to make sure that it stayed in her stomach.

A short while later she began to feel a tingling around her knees, and she knew that the potion was doing what it was meant to.

"If you're not in too much pain, I'll call Albus to come and see you. I can't say I agree with him being here, what with the head injury and all, but he was insistent. I'll be back in a moment, dear."

Once again, Hermione lay back against the pillows. She had been quiet for some time, allowing Poppy to do her work, but now that she thought about, she was sure that she could piece together some of the events.

She could remember being in the chamber, and feeling the Earth move, then the rooster crowing.

Remembering even that much made her head ache, so she lay very still until she could hear the clicking of Dumbledore's high-heeled boots coming closer to her.

"Another small success," said Dumbledore with a smile when he appeared at the end of her bed. "Evangeline freed the rooster just in time. The large crash that they may or may not have heard was part of the chamber collapsing as the rooster's crow killed the Basilisk."

Hermione let out a sigh of relief.

"That's so good to hear. Finally, we have some good news. Did you manage to collect some of the fangs?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed I did. It was a little messy, but Evangeline also managed to secure some of the venom as well. It will be good to have a little on hand, just in case."

The pair was silent for a few moments, and Hermione wish that the headmaster would leave her to rest. Perhaps he could sense what she needed, or perhaps he was using his skills of legilimency, because he left a short while later, leaving Hermione to ruminate on exactly how they were going to use the Basilisk venom to destroy the horcuxes that were still laying in wait, securely above Aberforth's bar.


	60. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50: Assemble to fight**

**Vorbereitung auf die Schlacht**

He could see the inkblots that had been spattered across the parchment as the words had been hastily scribbled. Dumbledore did not know what to make of it. Simultaneously a request and a demand; like a spoiled child who was threatening a tantrum if he or she did not end up getting their desired outcome.

An internal debate began to fester within Dumbledore, and he thought back to when this man was one of his pupils. The seeds of dark magic had already been sown from birth, but light could be seen within him as well. It was not clear which part of him was the instigator for the letter.

Perhaps it would be wise to meet with him; even if it was only once.

_He stood on a hilltop, forlorn and cold in the darkness, the wind whistling through the branches of a few leafless trees. Snape was panting, turning on the spot, his wand gripped tightly in his hand, waiting for something or for someone…_

_Then a blinding, jagged jet of white light flew through the air. Harry thought of lightning, but Snape had dropped to his knees and his wand had flown out of his hand._

_'Don't kill me!'_

_'That was not my intention.'_

_Any sound of Dumbledore apparating had been drowned out by the sound of the wind in the branches. He stood before Snape with his robes whipping around him, and his face was illuminated from below in the light cast by his wand._

_'Well, Severus? What message does Lord Voldemort have for me?'_

_'No- no message – I am here on my own account!'_

_Snape was wringing his hands; he looked a little mad, with his straggling black hair flying around him._

_'I come with a warning – no, a request – please – '_

_Dumbledore flicked his wand. Though leaves and branches still flew through the night air around them, silence fell on he spot where he and Snape faced each other._

_'What request could a Death Eater make of me?'_

_'The prophecy…the prediction…Trelawney…'_

_'Ah, yes,' said Dumbledore. 'How much did you relay to Lord Voldemort?'_

_'Everything – everything I heard!' said Snape. 'That is why – it is for that reason – he thinks it means Lily Evans!'_

_'The prophecy did not refer to a woman,' said Dumbledore. 'It spoke of a boy born at the end of July – '_

_'You know what I mean! He thinks it is her son, he is going to hunt her down – kill them all – '_

_'If she means so much to you,' said Dumbledore, 'surely Lord Voldemort will spare her? Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the son?'_

_"I have – I have asked him – '_

_'You disgust me,' said Dumbledore, contempt in his voice. Snape seemed to shrink a little._

_'You do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die as long as you have what you want?'_

_Snape said nothing, but merely looked up at Dumbledore._

_'Hide them all, then' he croaked. 'Keep her – them – safe. Please.'_

_"And what will you give me in return, Severus?'_

_"In – in return?' Snape gaped at Dumbledore, silent. After a long moment he said, 'Anything.'_

_Slowly Snape regained control of himself, but his face was still anguished._

_'But never – never tell, Dumbeldore! Swear it! I want your word!'_

_'My word, Severus, that I shall never reveal the best of you?' Dumbledore sighed, looking down into Snape's ferocious, tormented face. 'If you insist…'_

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

A furious tapping sounded at Hermione's bedroom window. It was certainly loud enough to drag her from the depths of sleep.

Her body jolted as her brain attempted to simulate consciousness. She was beyond exhausted. It was that kind of exhaustion where you feel like breathing is a struggle.

The tapping continued, louder than ever, and Hermione could not get away with ignoring it any longer.

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she hauled her head off the pillow and waited for the giddiness to disappear before standing and making her way over the window.

Fortunately the moon was very bright and when she pulled back the curtains it was easy to see that she was faced with a tawny barn owl. It was the very species that was used by Hogwarts. Seeing Hermione behind the glass, it hooted three times in quick succession.

Hermione opened the window, allowing the warm summer breeze to enter the room. The owl lifted its leg, patiently waiting for Hermione to untie the message it had brought for her.

Recognising the emerald green ink and slanted handwriting, she did not hesitate in ripping open the envelope. Eyes darted about in circles across the page, not quite knowing where to start reading. Lighting her wand with a whisper of an incantation, she felt her heart begin working in overdrive.

No one was safe.


	61. Chapter 51

**_Long update today. I'm very excited to share this chapter with you – it's been a long time coming! Don't forget to review!_**

**Chapter 51: Demon**

**Dämonen**

"Bit of a departure from tradition?" smirked Remus as Hermione led him along the winding laneways near her home. "Usually I'm the one that has to plan and prepare for our dates, not to mention practically drag you along to it."

Hermione chose to ignore the last part of his comment.

"When you see where I am taking you, it may not be so much a departure from tradition, as you so put it. Also, there are a couple of others who I have invited, so it may not be quite the romantic getaway you had hoped for."

Her tone was light-hearted and jovial, but her stomach was squirming. She wondered if it was too early in their new relationship for her to be doing this, but then it occurred to her that this was important, and she may not have much longer to do it.

Snape had done the unthinkable and revealed the prophecy to Voldemort. Apparently, he had also begged for Dumbledore's mercy, and Dumbledore had given it. Still, it was now September, and Voldemort would strike at any moment. He must me made mortal, immediately.

"Right," said Hermione, coming to an abrupt stop at an alleyway with a dead end. "We need to apparate to Hogsmeade, ready?"

Remus gave her a quizzical look before following her instructions and turning on the spot.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Remus barely had the time to regain his balance before Hermione had grasped his shoulders from behind, and was pushing him towards the _Hog's Head Inn_.

"You two are late," Aberfroth waved to the pair as they passed through the bar and up towards the annex. "Albus was 'ere a good twenty minutes ago with them two other lads, but they already left. I can call 'em again if you want."

Hermione shook her head as she stopped pushing against Remus for a moment.

"I just need a few minutes on my own first, thanks Ab. I'll call down if we need anything."

Aberforth nodded in understanding, and went around the bar out of sight to his own sitting room.

"Good," replied Hermione, once he had left. "That keeps them out of the way. I just hope they left behind what I asked of them."

"What _are_ we doing?" Remus thought he had been very patient and uncomplaining until this point, but his patience was wearing thin.

"Hopefully I'll be able to show you when we get upstairs," replied Hermione, ascending the stairs to the annex two at a time, with Remus jogging slightly out of breath behind her.

'Or rather, before I lose my nerve,' thought Hermione as she opened the door into the familiar room.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Remus flop down onto one of the couches.

"I just need to check something quickly," she called out to him as she rushed over to the cupboard that contained all the horcruxes that had been collected so long ago.

She could feel their magic even before she had opened the cupboard. The room seemed to hum with it. Focusing on closing her mind, she opened the door and counted them.

The cup, the diadem, the locket, the diary and the ring.

They threatened to pull her in, but she firmly closed the door. It wouldn't be long now and they would be gone forever. There was just one thing that she had to do first.

Pulling her wand from her pocket, she wordlessly waved it at the cupboard at the opposite end of the room. It's doors swung open to reveal a shallow stone basin on the middle shelf.

Remus' eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he watched Hermione levitate the basin across the room so that it came to a rest on the coffee table where he had his feet propped up.

"Hermione, what are you doing? What _is_ that?"

Hermione walked across the room in slow, measured steps. The time had come.

"That is a pensieve. Specifically, it is Dumbledore's pensieve. He has lent it to me so that I can use it to show you a few things. My memories to be specific…I want you to know the truth."

Remus sat up a little straighter, putting his feet firmly on the ground.

"You've already told me you are from the 'future'; what more is there to know?"

"You know the bare bones of the situation. There may be a few surprises in there, but you know all the important details already. I can't quite put what I know into words, but I want to be honest with you. As much as we acknowledge it, we've never quite seemed to work around the fact that honesty is not one of our strengths. I'm trying to let you in, Remus."

With that, Hermione took her wand and put it to her temple. From there she withdrew a long silvery strand, and gently floated it to the surface of the pensieve.

Remus took one long look at Hermione, not sure what to make of the situation. Would this make or break their relationship?

Taking a deep breath, he plunged his head forward into the now glowing basin.

_Hermione was eleven and she was terribly excited to be going to Hogwarts. She had ready all the books and hoped that she wasn't too far behind all the others who had come from all-magic families. _

_The other students seemed friendly enough, although one boy had lost his toad. Eager to please, Hermione was helping him to find it. There were two boys in the compartment that she opened. One with red hair, and one with black._

_"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but Hermione wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand._

_"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."_

_She sat down. Ron looked taken aback._

_"Er – all right."_

_He cleared his throat._

_"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,_

_Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."_

_He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep._

_"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said Hermione. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"_

_She said this all very fast._

_Harry looked at Ron and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learnt all the set books off by heart either._

_"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered._

_"Harry Potter," said Harry._

_"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."_

_"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed._

_"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."_

The scene dissolved, and suddenly all the sunshine had gone from the image.

_Hermione was sitting alone in the library late at night. Her eyes itched and struggled to focus on the book in front of her._

_It was imperative that she figure this out. _

_Tonight._

_She allowed her head to fall onto the dusty pages of the book._

_How could a basilisk manage to make its way through the castle from a chamber underneath the school? The castle was enormous. It was no wonder that no one had ever managed to find anything._

_Rolling her head to the side slightly, she wondered how long she would be able to stay hidden here until Madam Pince found her and kicked her out. The woman was ghastly, even Hermione had to admit that._

_She looked like she had emerged straight from a Dickens' novel; a ghost, clanging and banging against lead pipes of old houses, disturbing the occupants within._

_Her thoughts stopped, catching on just one word: pipes._

Blackness surrounded Remus once more as the scene changed.

_"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling towards him, hands outstretched, "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed…James would have understood, Harry…he would have shown me mercy…"_

_Both Lupin and Black strode forwards, seized Pettigrew's shoulders and threw him backwards onto the floor. He sat there, twitching in terror, staring up at them._

_"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who was shaking too. "Do you deny it?"_

_Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch: he looked like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor._

_"Sirius, Sirius what could I have done? The Dark Lord…you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine…I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He Who Must Not Be Named forced me – "_

_"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"_

_"He- he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"_

_"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"_

_"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"_

_"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"_

_Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised._

_"You should have realised," said Lupin quietly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter."_

This time the scene swirled and it was only Dumbledore's voice that could be heard.

_" – in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided."_

Then the scene evolved into something far more frightening and terrible. A mix of scenes played. They were many memories, jumbled together.

_It was the Ministry of Magic. It was difficult to know exactly what was happening, but it was war._

_Dumbledore had fallen from the Astronomy tower._

_A broken ring._

_Gringotts. _

_Dragons. _

_Slytherin's locket. _

_Hufflepuff's cup._

_Ravenclaw's diadem._

They were all there, and they continued to twist and morph creating a dizzy concoction of colour and sound, until the picture suddenly became clear once more. It was clearer than any of the other memories, and Remus knew that this one would be particularly painful.

_"What are you doing here?"_

_The gravelly voice was coming from behind her, and Hermione had to resist the urge to jump into the air when she heard it. She must not show weakness._

_Instead, Hermione stood up to her full height, and with her wand clenched tightly in her right hand, she spoke with the most authority that she could muster._

_"What you're doing is wrong!"_

_Her voice reverberated across the room, mingling with the brilliant white light that seemed to be emanating from the bell jar at the far end of the room._

_She felt the firm pressure of his hand grasping her around the wrist. In one fluid movement, he spun her around so that he had the advantage of being able to tower of her._

_"Wrong, is it? Wrong to serve my master? To prove myself loyal? I'll be rewarded above all the others, because I would be the one to reverse all the damage!"_

_He spat on the ground, and Hermione had to move her foot away, swiftly, before the foul-smelling slime could hit it._

_Hermione, however, did not back down. He may have been a foot taller than what she was, but she had not let him know that his strength on her left arm was futile. She lifted her other arm, so that her wand was pointed directly at the self-confessed Death Eater, and he did not even have the chance to blink._

_"Incarcerous!"_

_Thin cords shot out of Hermione's wand, and the Death Eater was bound to floor, effectively severing his grip from Hermione._

_"The aurors are on their way," she said, wand still pointing at the head of the man._

_The more the man wriggled, the more the stench rolled off him and into Hermione's nostrils._

_"You think that Harry Potter, the Golden Boy with his cronies, will be able to stop me?"_

_Hermione looked down at his oversized frame with contempt one last time, ears pricked for other sounds that she might be able to use as clues._

_All that could be heard was the monotonous sound of many ticking clocks. Each of them hung on the wall; each giving no more information than the one next to it._

_Her eyes kept swivelling around the room, looking for something she could use to distract him._

_Finally, the sound of many feet running invaded her ears. They stopped abruptly just outside of the door, and it swung open to reveal Harry and Ron, wands aloft._

_"Mione, you're ok..." Ron breathed as he rushed forward to help with the arrest of the man._

_Hermione stood back, contemplating what a close call it had been._

_Harry stood with her, watching closely as his students worked._

_"You'll pay for this!" shouted the man, as Harry hooked his arm around Hermione's waist to lead her out of the Department of Mysteries._

_"He was sick..." said Hermione, who up until that point not realised that she had been trembling._

_She did, however, feel Ron move up beside her and take her hand in his._

_"It's ok...you're safe now."_

_"He was using muggles as guinea pigs for his experiments."_

_"What kind of experiments?" asked Harry, suddenly looking very serious. "Did it have anything to do with what he was doing in that room tonight?"_

_Hermione nodded._

_"He was sending the muggles back in time... trying to... it didn't work...they've been dying... Harry... torture..."_

_Her speech came out in gasps as the enormity of what this man had been doing hit her._

_Harry took one look at her and knew that they would not be getting any answers out of her tonight._

_"We'll take her to your mum's" he said to Ron, as he wrapped his travelling cloak over her now visibly trembling frame._

_With a resounding pop they were gone, entirely unaware of the revulsion brewing inside Conrad Rowle._

A new memory this time, although Remus could see the connection between this and the previous one.

_"Yeah, I hear you...I'm coming! I just have to find the key."_

_Hermione hauled herself out of bed, before stumbling over to her desk. She groped around, on and in it, before managing to find her keys in the Bermuda of a top drawer; however, her success was short-lived as she managed to tangle herself in her bathrobe._

_She hopped across her flat, attempting to detangle herself, only to knock over part of her collection of herbs in pots. The smell of rosemary and thyme permeated the air as she finally made it to the front door, mentally cursing herself for having lost the keys in the first place._

_She pushed the key into the lock and turned it, internally muttering ceasing the moment that she opened the door wide enough. A burly wizard was standing there, arms ramrod straight, wand pointing directly at her head._

_His voice was gravelly and full of anger, but even through her fear, Hermione was able to detect what he must have thought was a sense of achievement._

_"I told you that you would pay for what you did!"_

_With that, a bolt of brilliant light was ejected from the tip of his wand, hitting Hermione square in the face._

_With that single blow, Hermione knew no more._

A new memory. Remus knew this because he had picked out the very pyjamas that Hermione was wearing in it.

_A furious tapping sounded at Hermione's bedroom window. It was certainly loud enough to drag her from the depths of sleep._

_Her body jolted as her brain attempted to simulate consciousness. She was beyond exhausted. It was that kind of exhaustion where you feel like breathing is a struggle._

_The tapping continued, louder than ever, and Hermione could not get away with ignoring it any longer._

_Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she hauled her head off the pillow and waited for the giddiness to disappear before standing and making her way over the window._

_Fortunately the moon was very bright and when she pulled back the curtains it was easy to see that she was faced with a tawny barn owl. It was the very species that was used by Hogwarts. Seeing Hermione behind the glass, it hooted three times in quick succession._

_Hermione opened the window, allowing the warm summer breeze to enter the room. The owl lifted its leg, patiently waiting for Hermione to untie the message it had brought for her._

_Recognising the emerald green ink and slanted handwriting, she did not hesitate in ripping open the envelope. Eyes darted about in circles across the page, not quite knowing where to start reading. Lighting her wand with a whisper of an incantation, she felt her heart begin working in overdrive._

_No one was safe._

Remus pulled his head out of the pensieve. His body was shaking, and his eyes were darting across the room to the cupboard that currently held the horcruxes.

"You lied to us."

The statement was simple but it held more power than what Hermione dared to think.

"I did it to protect you," replied Hermione, knowing that the conversation was turning downhill very quickly.

Remus sighed, not meeting Hermione's eyes. Elbows resting on his knees, he used his palms to rub circles into his eye sockets.

"We're not really going to achieve anything by discussing this, are we?" he said. "I just really want to know why you didn't tell me it was Rowle. You must have known it was the same man – after your memory came back, that is."

Hermione was at a loss.

"I don't know," she admitted, moving close enough to Remus to be able to pull him into a one-armed hug. "He hurt the both of us in unspeakable ways, but I believe that one day he will get what he deserves. Karma will catch on."

Remus looked up at Hermione, a wry smile on his face.

"Karma?"

"Karma's only a bitch if you are," replied Hermione with a sly grin.

Despite himself, Remus let out a quiet chuckle.

"Oh, Hermione, you are absolutely incorrigible."

They were silent for several minutes as they sat side by side. Remus still looked a little pale, and Hermione wondered whether she would be asking too much of him with her next request.

"I want you to be able to destroy one of the horcruxes. Here. Today."

Remus' brown eyes contrasted magnificently with his pale skin, as he looked Hermione straight in the eye. Yet, he did not reply.

"Remus? What do you think?"

Remus blinked several times, looking as though he had made him mind present in the room once more.

"Yes," he replied in a low, quiet voice. "I'll do it."

Hermione let out a sigh of relief.

"A few weeks ago, Dumbledore and I took a little trip down to the Chamber of Secrets. Long story short, we managed to get some basilisk fangs and venom to be able to destroy the horcruxes. He's bringing it with him… but there are a couple of other people that I have asked to help us…"

Hermione knew that Remus would not be pleased with what she was about to tell him, but she had gone this far, and was not about to back out now.

"The other people are Severus and Regulus…" her voice trailed off, allowing the information to sink in.

Remus swallowed thickly, wondering if Hermione was about to drop any more bombshells onto him. His breakfast was soon to make a reappearance if she wasn't cautious.

"Does Sirius know?" he heard himself ask, voice hoarse.

Hermione replied quickly.

"No, Sirius is the only person who does not know anything. I couldn't do it to him. Not even James and Lily know about their potential demise."

Hermione stopped, willing the tears behind her eyes to dissipate. She had always spoken of their situation in anger, and for the first time in her life she acknowledged her grief for others.

She remembered a lonely evening several years prior where she had sat at her kitchen table, banging her fist against the hard wood with one hand whilst tearing out her hair with the other. She had acknowledged her grief of herself, and the life she might have had; but never had she stopped to think of what she may have lost in this new life.

"I spent the last fourteen years of my life fighting. That's longer than the time I've spent out of war, and I'm tired Remus…"

Remus continued to stay silent, knowing that Hermione didn't want advice or answers. All she needed was his presence: the knowledge that he would be there for her, no matter what.

Finally, it was Hermione that broke the calm.

"I'll get Aberforth to owl Albus, and tell him to come along with the others. The horcruxes tend to put up a bit of a fight, but we may as well get this over and done with."

Hermione disappeared down the stairs, and Remus could hear the soft rumble of voices beneath him.

Finally, everything made sense to him. She had known more about him than what he knew himself. She had kept herself hidden so that he and his friends would be safe. She sacrificed her safety every waking moment of her life so that he could have a better life. She had given him everything, and Remus suddenly understood James and Lily, Sirius and Marlene.

He couldn't begin to imagine the grief that Sirius felt when Marlene was murdered with her family. His chest was contracting painfully at the thought that Hermione might be killed, and yet he knew that she was just downstairs, safe and sound.

He wondered if she would ever consent to a life with him. Married. Perhaps a child or two like James and Lily. The thought seemed foolishly impossible.

Hearing her footsteps ascending the stairs, Remus put away his thoughts for another time, smiling brightly as Hermione stepped back into the room.

"Albus is on his way. I suppose we had better get the horcruxes ready for them when they arrive."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

"Oh my goodness, Severus! What happened to your face?" Hermione's voice became more high-pitched as her speech progressed.

Several jagged pink lines stood out against the pale white skin of Severus' face.

Severus shrugged, stepping past Hermione and into the annex. Hermione noticed that he chose to ignore the presence of Remus instead of starting a new argument. Hermione could not help but feel a little proud at his display of self-control.

"The Dark Lord was angry, and I happened to be the person in the firing line."

Hermione shivered. She knew enough about Voldemort to know that Severus was most likely lucky to even be alive.

"He doesn't know, does he?" Hermione could not help but ask, even though she was fearful of the answer.

"About the Order, yes, he has known that for a long while. About what we are doing today, I would think not. Speaking of, shall we get started?"

Regulus had trooped in behind Severus, nodding a quick hello to Hermione. The past few months had taken a toll on him, not least because he had slowly been disengaging from his family, and other Death Eaters. He had Dumbledore's protection, but each person in this room had experience with how far that really went.

Dumbledore strode into the room last. He gave an almost imperceptible nod to Hermione and Remus before joining the others, waiting for Hermione's instruction.

"Yes!" Hermione called out to the occupants of the room. "We'll get started. We literally do not have any time to lose. For future reference, this annex is a point of safety, as is my home. The Potters have the Fidelius charm on their home, as does Sirius and Remus. However, the protection of these homes is reliant on us keeping our mouths shut. Yes?"

"What about Hogwarts?" Regulus piped up from where he was now standing next to Remus.

Hermione's eyes narrowed slightly before she responded.

"Hogwarts has never truly been safe…now, I will just lay out the objects and we can get started."

From the cupboard in the corner she used her wand to levitate each of the objects, one-by-one, and deposit them on the floor.

The Gaunt family ring was at the feet of Dumbledore.

Slytherin's locket was resting in from of Severus.

Regulus has Ravenclaw's diadem.

Remus had Hufflepuff's cup.

Hermione had Riddle's diary. She hoped it would not fight back too much.

Moving her wand in the direction of the cupboard once more, Hermione levitated a basilisk fang to each person.

"If you want to do this with your hand, there are some dragon-hide gloves sitting on the table with the pink crochet table cloth. However, I suggest that you use magic for what we are about to do… or, have your wand ready. I'm not quite sure how these objects are going to react."

Hermione paused, using the moment to gather her thoughts.

"The instructions are simple. Use the fang to pierce through the object; thereby killing whatever is inside. There is no easy way to do this, so…"

Hermione picked up a glove from the table, and once it was securely on, she used her gloved hand to hold the basilisk fang. Raising it above her head, she looked around the room to see that the others had done the same.

"One…two…three!"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Aberforth looked up towards the annex as he felt the entire pub shake. Dust fell from the ceiling into a pile of freshly polished glasses.

Wondering what Hermione and Albus were doing up there, he made to climb the stairs and have a look for himself; however, something stopped him.

"Secrets and lies, that's how we grew up, and Albus…he was a natural."

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Hermione could feel the itch of sweat on her brow, but she knew that it was over. A distant scream became more remote, and she was left wondering if Voldemort had enough life left in him to feel what they had done.

It was no matter now. All they could do was wait.


	62. Chapter 52 Part 1

** Chapter 52: Schließlich**

**At last**

**Part 1**

_The night was wet and windy, two children dressed as pumpkins waddling across the square, and the shop windows covered in paper spiders, all the tawdry Muggle trappings of a world in which they did not believe… and he was gliding along, that sense of purpose and power and righteousness in him that he always knew on these occasions…not anger… that was for weaker souls than he…but triumph, yes… he had waited for this, he had hoped for it…_

_"Nice costume, Mister!"_

_He saw the small boy's smile falter as he ran near enough to see beneath the hood of the cloak, saw the dark cloud his painted face: then the child turned and ran away… beneath the robe he fingered he handle of his wand… one simple movement and the child would never reach his mother… but unnecessary, quite unnecessary…_

_And along a new and darker street he moved, and now his destination was in sight at last, the Fidelius Charm broken, though they did not know it yet… and he made less noise than the dead leaves slithering along the pavement as he drew level with the dark hedge, and stared over it…_

_They had not drawn the curtains, he saw them quite clearly in their little sitting room, the tall, black-haired man in his glasses, making puffs of coloured smoke erupt from his wand for the amusement of the small black-haired boy in the blue pyjamas. The child was laughing and trying the catch the smoke, to grab it in his small fist…_

_A door opened and the mother entered, saying words he could not hear, her long, dark red hair falling over her face. Now the father scooped up the son and handed him to the mother. He threw his wand down upon the sofa and stretched, yawning…_

_The gate creaked a little as he pushed it open, but James Potter did not hear. His white hand pulled out the wand beneath his cloak and pointed it at the door, which burst open._

There was nothing.

The house was dark, and it looked as though it had not been lived in for several days.

Was it a hallucination?

The family was there; the boy was there. He needed to be destroyed. His weakness needed to be eliminated.

He had felt… something. An indefinable something. Bellatrix assured him that the Cup was safe, and Regulus had made it nigh impossible for the Locket to be breached. Only Dumbledore knew of his connection to Morfinn and Marvolo, so the ring would have to be safe. Inwardly, Voldemort cursed his mother's sentimentality in naming him for Marvolo.

It made it all the more difficult to be inconspicuous.

He looked around. The children were gone.

Only a breeze filled the void.

**HHPHPHPHPHPHP**

It first started out as a harmless prickle to his left forearm, however the burn soon began to spread.

His Master was summoning them.

They were already warned to prepare for action; to be prepared to meet their Lord.

Conrad Rowle turned on the spot in a resounding pop, moments later only to find himself exposed to the rage of his master.

"The boy must be found, and brought back to me, alive! I must be the one to kill him!"

Voldemort's wand slashed in the air. His wrath brought down numerous trees, uprooted from the ground completely with scorch marks scaring their trunks.

The other Death Eaters immediately scattered, leaving Conrad bewildered. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that several others had also chosen to stay close to their Master.

Bellatrix; recently married to Rodolphus; and yet hanging off the Dark Lord like a limpet. Conrad pitied the man who did not know how to keep his wife in line. It made for trouble.

Greyback was practically foaming at the mouth. His hypersalivation had reached a record high as he gazed at the street. The Muggle children had almost certainly gone home to their mothers and fathers, but there was not much that a lock could do to keep Greyback out.

"Fenrir?" Conrad called out, hoping to momentarily divert him before he caused too much trouble for himself. Being overly excited was as equally dangerous as not meeting the Dark Lord when the Mark burned.

"Fenrir, have you seen my brothers: Thorfinn or Christoffer?"

Greyback averted his attention long enough to point in a distant direction.

Conrad chuckled to himself, knowing to never put trust in that beast; yet he followed the instructions, walking in the direction Greyback had pointed out.

The streets were deserted. The sun had gone down long ago, and Conrad was not entirely sure of his purpose here. What did his Master expect them to find?

Others must have also spread, for he could see Yaxley and Lucius Malfoy on the other side of the street. There were plenty of muggles that lived here. Perhaps they would get to have a bit of fun before the sun had risen.

**HPHPHPHPHPHP**

Hermione and Dumbledore were the ringleaders of the operation. They were standing tall and proud at the helm. The Order of the Phoenix had been put into operation despite recent heavy losses. There was no doubt that the sheer manpower of the Order had been depleted with the various deaths that had occurred over the past couple of years.

Assisting them were various teachers of Hogwarts, and members of the community. Arthur Weasley had made a few discreet requests within the Ministry, and had managed to recruit just one person: Benjy Fenwick.

Hermione shivered when she had heard this. Her memory served to remind her that Benjy had been killed in the First War.

In spite of the lack of numbers, each person had a crucial role to play. Harry had been secreted in the home of Sirius and Remus. It was out of the way, and Harry would be safe with his guard.

Arabella Figg although a Squibb, was on babysitting duty. Bathilda Bagshot served as surveillance from her Godric's Hollow home, and could be relied on to forward a message should anyone wish to apparate and find Harry. Caradoc Dearborn and Dedalus Diggle were stationed with Arabella to ensure complete security.

All others were spread in strategic locations around the village of Godric's Hollow. Hermione's home was still under the protection of the Fidelius Charm, and was used as one meeting point. Bathilda's home, a second meeting point, had been stocked with various medical supplies, and Poppy Pomfrey was in the process of placing a few extra enchantments around the dwelling to make it slighter safer as a hospital, should the need arise.

In the meantime, Lily and Remus flanked Hermione. James stood not too far away in another small group. It had been agreed that various teams would be set up, with team leaders. The leaders would be the ones to make the larger decisions, in consultation with the others leaders, contactable via Patronus. It was not the most inconspicuous method of communicating, however it was fast, and achievable by all of the fighters.

After much deliberation on James' part, he had been paired with Severus. On the other hand, Sirius and Regulus had been slightly more accepting of their situation. Other leaders included Remus and Arthur Weasley. Hermione had swelled with pride to see Hagrid amongst them. He may not know her yet, as he once did, but the sight of him was rather comforting.

Each person was waiting with bated breath for the moment that all hell would break loose. They had already heard the trees being ripped from the Earth, and the eyes of some had widened as they heard the shrieks of various Death Eaters.

Hermione felt more than a decade of anger rip through her as she spoke to as she spoke to the part of the group that could hear her.

"Remember, we duel to kill."

Nobody had time to react to her words.

It was then that new cries filled the air, and a ball of fire could be seen exploding the windows of a house, just a few streets away. Hermione ran full pelt in that direction, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Lily and Remus do the same.

Her sides were already beginning to ache as they turned into the cul-de-sac. Jets of light were already beginning to shoot by her as James and Ted Tonks aimed to stun the Death Eaters that had already begun to make an appearance. Every stunner from Ted missed its mark, however his wife was far more lucky as a jet of light from her wand grazed past Yaxley just enough to knock him off balance. This gave Molly the chance to send a thin stream of ropes, ready to bind their victim.

Yaxley recovered himself quickly enough to transfigure the ropes into venomous snakes, doubling back to attack Molly. Hermione could see Molly's breath catch in her throat at the threat; but she could also see the sigh of relief that emanated from her as Ted sent an _incendio_ that made them combust completely.

A roar of anger escaped Yaxley as she sent a barrage of silent curses at the group. Hermione could no longer keep her eyes on them. A shout from behind alerted her to Vincent Crabbe who was wheezing his way closer to her. It only took a simple body-bind curse to incapacitate him so much that he plummeted towards Earth, hitting his head on the cobblestoned street in the process. Hermione did not wish to take it upon herself to lift the curse to find if he had even survived the fall. The crack she heard as his head hit the ground was more than enough.

An explosion sounded off so close that Hermione's face was sprayed with dust and small pieces of stone. She was sure that there would be several bleeding scratches on her face, but the sun had long since set, and it was far too dark to see any blood smears on her clothing. Wiping the worst of the dust from her eyes, she looked to either side of her. Lily and Remus could not be seen.

Breaking into a brisk run, Hermione made her way back to the village square.

Jets of multi-coloured light obscured her vision as they shot across the night sky. Some were accompanied by desperate shouts and cries, whilst others were far more silent and stealthy.

Sending a few of her own across the crowded square, Hermione was able to see a few unfamiliar faces amongst the fighters. The looks of horror and sheer bewilderment told Hermione all that she needed to know. Muggles had come out of their homes, dressed in nothing more than their nightclothes, to see what was happening to their village.

"Move!" she shouted at them, waving her arms in the air as she ran to help them. "You need to get out of here. It's not safe!"

Pulling them by their sleeves, she herded them as far away as she could. Sirius was nearby, and hearing Hermione's shouts, tried to help them. Regulus was not far behind, and between the three of them, the muggles were convinced to use whatever transportation was available to them to move out of the village for the night. Where they went was not important, what was crucial was that it was not nearby.

There would be a lot of damage control, and memory modification that would need to happen when the battle was over.

Hermione surveyed the scene, and from what she could see, there was already a lot of physical damage. Sides of houses had been blown apart, and there were several howls of pain that could be heard as people were seen limping down the street.

Hermione immediately ran forth to help a mother who was carrying her child in her arms. The child was not moving, but looked as though he had endured extensive burns to his upper body. Whole expanses of skin had been charred black, and the fabric of his clothes had melted onto his skin giving it a green, shiny appearance.

The mother's agonised shrieks pierced through the darkness and into Hermione's soul. Unsure of what to do for the boy, Hermione held onto the mother and through her tears, she apparated them to Bathilda's home where Poppy would be waiting.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

These were the only words that Hermione could allow to come out of her mouth as she deposited the woman and her son into the makeshift hospital. She had lost count of the times she had told Dumbledore how wrong it was to attack Voldemort in this way, still it had made no difference. He had not listened, and this was the result.

Hermione could not bear to stay and view the scene any longer. She needed fresh air. She needed to find Lily, and she needed to find Remus. Her thoughts were a hurricane, and it did not make it any easier to create a suitable plan.

Not able to keep still, Hermione set off into the darkness once more, vigilant as ever. She would walk wherever her feet would take her, and that would have to be good enough.

The smoke in the air made her throat sting, and her lungs burn. Still Hermione pushed through it, and she had been walking for no more than ten minutes when she saw a flash of blonde hair out the corner of her eye.

Instinct took over and Hermione let a string of curses erupt from the end of her wand. With unerring reflexes, Conrad Rowle deflected the majority of them.

"Siding with them, are you?" snarled Rowle, baring his teeth as he sent a neatly aimed curse at Hermione. Hermione tried to duck, but it caught her on the crown of her head. Shocking pain immediately coursed through her body, and she recognised the spasms that took over as the Cruciatus Curse.

A scream of pain never left her lungs as her body jerked back into an upright position before crumpling to the ground. Rowle marched over to her, and spat on her limp form. She could barely feel where the slime hit her for the tingling that was still twitching her limbs. It had been a very strong curse.

"That'll teach you to have sympathy for blood traitors, and filthy muggles. You're no better than the dirt I'm standing on. You want to die for what you believe in? I can certainly help you with that!"

Hermione's tear filled eyes could see his wand rising into the air, and the words forming in his mouth, but she felt nothing. All of a sudden, Rowle was gone, and Lily was kneeling above her.

"Lily…" Hermione breathed; relief was an understatement. "You saved my life."

Urgency was filling Lily's voice as she spoke.

"Ordinarily I would not be so quick to accept such a compliment, but we're running out of time. I just spoke with James and apparently You-Know-Who is on his way to join the battle. Obviously his Death Eaters are not achieving what they were meant to."

Hermione had never told either Lily or James the exact purpose of tonight. She had said that You-Know-Who was trying to recruit them. He would stop at nothing to ensure that he got what he wanted, and that meant compromising Harry's safety.

Any threat to Harry made both parents instantly agreeable, and together they attempted to create solutions to various scenarios that Voldemort may present to them.

Jerking her mind to the present, Hermione lifted herself from the ground with Lily's help.

"I need to get him," she said. "I need to get Rowle."

"We don't have time!"

Taking Lily's hands into her own, Hermione looked Lily directly in the eye.

"I need to do this. Please understand. I trust that you'll be able to follow through with what we planned. You and James. You know what you need to do."

The pain in Lily's expression turned to horror.

"No!" she cried, her voice cracking. "We can't do that… we can't…"

Hermione was not taking 'no' for an answer.

"Find Remus, and he can help you. Make sure he's safe."

Before Lily could protest any further, Hermione turned and moved off in a brisk jog. She was getting shooting pains up her legs every time her feet made contact with solid ground, but she could not let that deter her.

She did not know what Lily to did to stop him from killing her, but she did know that she had to find him.

Kill, or be killed. That was the only motto that would allow for her survival. There was no room for mistakes.

"ROWLE!" she screeched into the air, arms clenched by either side of her. "I know you're here! COME OUT HERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE THE COWARD THAT YOU ARE!"

A quiet voice came up from behind her, and Hermione swivelled on the spot making sure that she did not miss a word.

"Calling me coward, are you? Good for nothing wench, I'll show you who's the coward…"

He raised his wand but Hermione was too quick for him. Primal instinct had taken over.

Her wand arm twirled and cut through the air smoothly. Curse after curse was thrown at him, and before he could even register that he was being attacked, Rowle crumpled to the ground in an unmoving heap.

Blood thundering in her ears, Hermione felt some of her anger drain. It was only a small amount, but it was enough to stop it from boiling over completely.

Hermione did not know how long she stood staring at the body. She was certainly not about to check for a pulse.

The next thing she knew, Lily was running towards her and shouting.

Hermione appeared not to have heard at first. Or at the very least, not understood what she was trying to say.

"Hermione, did you hear me? We can't find Remus. Last James saw he was being dragged away by Greyback. We need to find him and make sure that he's alright."

Lily's words seemed to have sunk in that time, and the young woman instantly stretched out her hands to catch Hermione as her knees began to buckle beneath her.

"No, you're not," reprimanded Lily in a sharp voice. "You are not going to crumble away now. I won't let you. Get up off the floor, I can't hold you here forever."

Lily let go only to watch Hermione slump down onto her knees. Her arms were limp by her sides, and she did not care for the gravel that was digging into her trousers.

"He's dead," said Hermione. Her voice was as empty as the words she spoke. "Remus is dead."

"We don't know that yet," replied Lily. "We need to find out what happened. Come on, let's go!"

Hermione was caught up in her own thoughts. She was no longer flinching at the explosions around her, nor the pained shouts and cries from other people. It was now all about Remus.

"He must hate me," she said in nothing more than a mumble. Lily had to strain her ears to try and catch what her friend was trying to say.

"He doesn't hate you," said Lily quickly. "Come on, we have to go and see if he's alright."

Hermione let out a laugh; only it was full of contempt.

"You're right. This whole thing is a mess. He couldn't hate me. No one could hate me more than I hate myself."


	63. Chapter 52 Part 2

**Chapter 52: Schließlich**

**At last**

**Part 2**

Hermione and Lily ducked their way around crumbling walls and rubble, making their way around Godric's Hollow. At one point Lily had to frantically grab at Hermione before she toppled down a set of stairs that disintegrated beneath her feet.

It was a shame to see the village destroyed in this way, but Hermione's mind turned to steely resolve as she and Lily made their way past the village cemetery. Once upon a time Lily herself had been lying there with her husband by her side. It was enough to make Hermione's stomach turn.

Finally, they safely made their way to the makeshift hospital that was Bathila's home. The door was kept ajar as people pushed in and out, bringing in the wounded.

Hermione felt the bile rise in her throat as Poppy pulled a crisp white sheet over the head of one of the victims. Immediately several bright red gashes appeared over the clean sheet as it was stained with the blood that continued to ooze out of the deceased. His face had been so badly damaged that Hermione could not recognise who it was. A questioning glance in Poppy's direction gave her the answer she needed.

"Benjy Fenwick," her voice low. "It was Greyback."

Hermione felt her grief resurface.

The thing about grief was that it never went away, yet you didn't always know it was there. That was how it ate away at you, and damaged you. It could consume you, and you wouldn't know until it was too late.

Looking over at Lily, she could see that her already pale face was losing even more of its colour.

"You would think it gets easier…" Lily trailed off, not able to control her voice any longer. Taking a deep breath, she continued.

"You would think it gets easier, but I'm glad that it doesn't. It only serves to remind us of how wrong and abnormal this situation is."

Hermione nodded trying to focus on Lily, however her attention could not help but wander around the rooms, looking for Remus. Was he one of the wounded? Was he even alive?

She took a few steps forward, surveying the scene. The lounge area was littered with bloodstained sheets. Volunteers were carrying the deceased to other rooms, a hard look of determination set on their faces.

Injured were propped up wherever they could fit – against chair legs, and on top of tables. There was even a small child nestled against a pile of books; fortunately it seemed that there were no more than a few scratches on her face. She looked no older than about eight or nine. Hermione did not even know if the child was magical, or muggle.

At that moment a rumble came from behind Hermione, and she immediately pulled her wand out in front of her, ready to face the intruder.

A sound of relief escaped her mouth as she saw Remus coming through the door. Running at him, she flung her arms around his slim frame.

Noticing that he did not reciprocate, Hermione pulled back to look him square in the face.

"We need to act now," his face set into hard lines. "He is here and fighting. Dumbeldore and Aberforth are managing to hold him back for now, but I don't know how long that would be able to last."

Hermione's mind immediately began running forward, unable to yet verbalise her plans.

"Where's James?" Lily spoke, hands twisting in front of her with anxiety.

"He's got Snape and Regulus with him. I think Sirius is there as well. They were duelling with Nott and Pettigrew last I saw."

"Peter?" Lily's voice rose. "Peter Pettigrew?"

A grim nod from Remus set Lily's eyebrows up into her hairline. Hermione took her chance to intervene.

"In that case, we need to get them away from there as quickly as possible. Lily, I need you and James to be in the main village square in exactly fifteen minutes."

Conjuring a patronus, Hermione quickly sent it to do her bidding, sending a message to Dumbledore. Another five were summoned in rapid succession, each with a message for the team leaders.

"You-Know-Who will be there as well, and it will be the cleanest shot you can get of him."

Lily began to open her mouth in protest.

"Lily, I need you to trust me. He will be there, and I've just sent messages to the other leaders telling them to be in the same place. You will have all of us there to help you."

"Hermione, I'm scared…"

It was the first time that Lily had ever admitted fear, and the confession threw Hermione.

"Lily, I know that you can do this. I wouldn't ask you of it if I didn't think you and James could succeed. Think of how soon you'll be able to go back to Harry."

Hermione pulled Lily into a warm hug, and was about to let go when she felt another set of arms wrap around her shoulders. Inhaling the signature scent that was Remus, for a brief moment in time, Hermione knew that she was safe.

"My brave girls, I always knew you deserved to be in Gryffindor," Remus placed a friendly kiss onto the top of both their heads.

Hermione smirked at Remus as he pulled away.

"What made you decide I was in Gryffindor? I never told you what house I was in."

Remus smiled broadly back at her.

"You didn't have to tell me. No one but a Gryffindor would throw the entire village into this kind of chaos."

He gestured his arms above and around his head; Hermione had to fight the urge to laugh.

"Takes one to know one," Hermione sent a light punch to his shoulder that was closest to her. "Come on, we've got work to do."

There was less screaming, and general disruption as Hermione and her team made their way to the village square. A few others seemed to be also moving in that direction as well. Hermione watched as Filius Flitwick toddled along the street until Hagrid picked him up and placed him on his large shoulder. At least her patronus had reached the right people in time.

The square loomed up ahead of them, and Lily immediately split herself from the group to find James. Hermione stood back with Remus and several others.

Dumbeldore had done his job of luring Voldemort into the square. Light was bouncing around them as they duelled. It was both beautiful and terrible to watch.

Voldemort snarled as he pulled his wand back for a brief moment.

"You've lost old man! Who will save you now?"

From his mouth came an exhilarated laugh that quickly turned into a demonic cackle.

"We will!"

James' voice reverberated across the square and a hush descended around all the fighters, both Death Eater and members of the Order of the Phoenix. All magic ceased as the crowd watched on.

Lily and James stood proud and tall in front of all the others, wands held out directly before them. Hermione could see the tiniest tremor in James' wand, but she knew that he was in absolute control.

Lily's red hair was lank against her sweat and blood soaked skin, but the fire in her eyes blazed. It was a lioness protecting her cub.

No words were exchanged between them. Only a slight twitch in James' wrist was indication that anything was about to happen.

Swift bolts of light escaped from both the mahogany and willow wands. The yew wand did a mighty job of deflecting them.

The crowd moved back, and some within it had disappeared completely, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.

Tom Riddle snarled at the couple, and doubled his efforts. Hermione's wand arm was practically convulsing by her side as she willed herself to keep it still. She wanted nothing more than to join in and finish the battle as quickly as possible; however she knew that it was no longer her battle to fight. This was for Lily and James to win.

Green light illuminated the night sky in several directions as Riddle began throwing off curses with growing desperation. He mustn't have known of his mortality, else he would no have entered the battle so readily.

The crowd scattered completely, saving themselves.

Hermione found herself crouching behind a crumbling wall with Sirius and Remus flanking her. She felt Remus' arm encircle her, gripping her at the waist as he used his body as her protection.

"Come on, Prongs," whispered Sirius, a quiet prayer for his best friend. "Finish him off."

With a sudden slash of his wand, and a whoosh of purple flames Hermione recognised the spell that Lily had used. It was the very one which had incapacitated Hermione at the age of sixteen, in the Department of Mysteries, and had forced her to drink up to ten potions per day. To this day she had no idea exactly what it did, but whatever it did was enough to knock her unconscious.

The flames hit Riddle's lower abdomen at the same time that a curse from James' wand knocked him off his feet completely. A split-second of understanding flooded his face before his entire body weight hit the ground.

Arms splayed, his head hit the cobblestones with a definitive crack.

Death Eaters stood with eyes bulging out of their heads. They had not counted on their Master being defeated.

Fury was not strong enough to describe the emotions of Voldemort's followers. They believed their Master to be invincible, and yet there he was: unmoving as he lay on the cold street with a trickle of blood oozing from his mouth.

Bellatrix Lestrange, although battle had knocked her around slightly, a murderous look had entered her eyes and she began firing her wand off in several different directions, screaming with grief at the top of her voice.

Piles of rubble exploded all around her, and Hermione saw Regulus stagger to the side as a sizeable chunk bounced off the side of his head. Sirius was not far behind, immediately acting to keep his brother safe. They apparated with a crack; presumably to see Madam Pomfrey.

Still in her hiding place, Hermione hit James and Lily with disillusionment charms as she bellowed for them to move out of the way and towards a safe house.

The Ministry's law enforcement squad of witches and wizards moved in. For a few moments there was mass panic, and people seemed to be moving quickly in many directions.

Hermione lost track of everything except the constant pressure of Remus' hand in hers.

With overwhelming disbelief that he would still stand by her, Hermione gathered her thoughts enough to be able to lead Remus through the streets back to her own home. It had been a team decision that when Voldemort was dead, they would congregate back at a safe house, and send word to the others that they were safe. Law Enforcement would dispose of the body by cremating it, and any other damage could wait until the next day.

The dead would be buried, and the injured would be treated. Word would spread around the United Kingdom. He-who-must-not-be-named was defeated and last, and there would be celebrations.

Hoping that Lily and James remembered the plan, Hermione did not look back as she and Remus approached her front door. Still under the protection of the Fidelius charm, they paced three times outside the wall and waited for the front door to materialise.

Once inside Hermione could not quite grasp the silence. All her belongings were exactly as she had left them, yet it felt slightly obscene that nothing had changed in here when everything had changed outside.

Adrenaline was still pumping through her body, and she found difficulty in slowing her breathing. Her fingers were still tightly clenched around her wand, afraid to let it go.

She thought back to the first time Voldemort had been defeated in the Battle of Hogwarts. Her first words had been something along the lines of 'he's gone'.

Now her conscious thoughts had nothing to do with the creature that had invaded her past and present.

It was now all about her future.

Feeling Remus' hand still within hers, she turned to face him. Ignoring the sweat and grime of the last few hours, she put her hand over his heart, feeling it's pounding rhythm against her fingers.

"My clever witch," she heard Remus murmur as he lowered his face closer to hers. "I love you."

Hermione did not have a chance to verbally reciprocate before she felt the firm pressure of his lips against hers. The tension instantly disappeared from her body as she felt his arms encircle her.

Years of battle had made Hermione weary of feelings of safety. Safety was fleeting, but it would always be when Remus was with her.

**THE END**

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><p><em><strong>Thank you for sticking with me for all this time! Your reviews have been nothing short of wonderful, and I am eternally grateful for your continued support. How about one last review, for old times sake ;)<strong>_


	64. Final Quote

_**At the end of every piece of fiction I write, I like to include a quote which I think sums the story up.**_

_**This is the quote for 'A Dance Through Thyme'...**_

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><p><em>The journey between who you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place.<em>

**Barbara De Angelis**

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><p><em><strong>Don't forget to review!<strong>_


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